chocolate

noun choc·o·late \ ˈchä-k(ə-)lət , ˈchȯ- \

Updated on: 12 May 2018

Definition of chocolate

1 : a beverage made by mixing chocolate with water or milk

The boy stirred the chocolate before drinking it.

2 : a food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans

The cake recipe calls for four squares of chocolate.

3 : a small candy with a center (such as a fondant) and a chocolate coating

gave her a box of chocolates

4 : a brownish gray

The bird's plumage was a shade of chocolate.

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chocolate

adjective

See chocolate defined for English-language learners

See chocolate defined for kids

Examples of chocolate in a Sentence

The cake recipe calls for four squares of chocolate.
She gave me a box of chocolates for my birthday.

Recent Examples of chocolate from the Web

In one University of Minnesota study, researchers found that reaching for chocolate, ice cream, and cookies was no more of a mood booster than abstaining from them.

— jessica migala, Woman's Day, "Why Anxiety Makes You Eat — And What to Do About It," 2 May 2018
Yet the end result is a triumph of innovation, like the moist chicken breast painted with a dark mole of Kahlua, chocolate, almonds and chiles.

— roger naylor, azcentral, "Arizona's best Mexican restaurants: Tacos and more from Flagstaff to Tucson to Yuma," 1 May 2018
The Sanders building years ago housed a Sanders chocolate and candy store and, more recently, was home to Banks Bail Bonds.

— detroit free press staff, Detroit Free Press, "LinkedIn signs lease to move into historic Sanders building in Detroit," 27 Apr. 2018
Grab some red wine, cheese, and chocolates, and enjoy a picnic in a cemetery.

— sophie saint thomas, Allure, "Oh God, April’s Full Moon in Scorpio and Jupiter Retrograde Will Occur Simultaneously on Sunday Night," 27 Apr. 2018
Meanwhile, place chocolate in medium bowl and bring cream to a simmer.

— the good housekeeping test kitchen, Good Housekeeping, "Churro Chips with Spiced Chocolate Dip," 24 Apr. 2018
The hand-spun shakes come in chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ($2.50).

— bud kennedy, star-telegram, "Arlington, here's your newest burger. It comes with 'bourbon bacon' | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 3 Apr. 2018
That blend of that chocolate, the spice, the savory.

— tracy swartz, chicagotribune.com, "Clarendon Hills contestant makes 'MasterChef Junior' history," 20 Apr. 2018
Belgian, Italian and Latin American bakeries incorporate distinct international influences into croissants with chocolate, ricotta, even tequila, respectively.

— ashley day, USA TODAY, "Creative croissants across the country," 18 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chocolate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of chocolate

Spanish, from Nahuatl chocolātl, proibn alteration of eastern Nahuatl dialect chikolātl, from chikolli hook (probably used to refer to the beater used to mix chocolate with water) + ātl water, liquid

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1604

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

CHOCOLATE Defined for English Language Learners

chocolate

noun

Definition of chocolate for English Language Learners

: a food that is made from cacao beans and that is eaten as candy or used as a flavoring ingredient in other sweet foods
: a candy made or covered with chocolate
: a dark brown color

CHOCOLATE Defined for Kids

chocolate

noun choc·o·late \ ˈchä-kə-lət , ˈchä-klət , ˈchȯ- \

Definition of chocolate for Students

1 : a food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans

2 : a candy made or coated with chocolate

3 : a beverage of chocolate in water or milk

… he ordered … a pot of coffee and another of chocolate.
—Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain

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chocolate

adjective

chocolate ice cream

History for chocolate

The word chocolate, like chili and tomato, comes from an American Indian language called Nahuatl, which was spoken in central Mexico at the time of the Spanish conquest. The Nahuatl word chocolātl looks like a compound, but its parts are not known for certain, and this has led to much discussion about its origin. One interesting idea is that the real source is chicolātl, a Nahuatl dialect word, made from chicolli, “hook”—here referring to the small hooked stick used to beat chocolate and hot water to a froth—and ātl, “liquid, water.”