coconut

noun

co·​co·​nut ˈkō-kə-(ˌ)nət How to pronounce coconut (audio)
1
: the drupaceous fruit of the coconut palm whose outer fibrous husk yields coir and whose nut contains thick edible meat and, in the fresh fruit, a clear liquid (see coconut water)
2
: the edible meat of the coconut

Examples of coconut in a Sentence

The pastry is covered with shredded coconut.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Garnish with toasted coconut flakes for a bit of texture and crunch. Krissy Tiglias, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025 Everything leads back to the Coco de Mer, the rare double coconut that grows only here, in the Vallée de Mai. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 Oct. 2025 Pickled shrimp and spicy peppers were bathed in a cool coconut broth. Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025 These include things like oats, coconut glycerin, and peanut butter in the lumps of coal biscuits, oats, peanut butter and bacon in the bac’n nutty biscuits, and chickpeas, tapioca flour and apples in the brushy sticks. Christine Persaud, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for coconut

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coconut was in 1599

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coconut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coconut. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

coconut

noun
co·​co·​nut ˈkō-kə-(ˌ)nət How to pronounce coconut (audio)
: the large egg-shaped husk-covered fruit of the coconut palm

Medical Definition

coconut

noun
co·​co·​nut ˈkō-kə-(ˌ)nət How to pronounce coconut (audio)
1
: the fruit of the coconut palm having an outer fibrous husk with a nut containing thick edible meat and coconut milk
2
: the edible meat of the coconut

More from Merriam-Webster on coconut

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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