coffee

noun

cof·fee ˈkȯ-fē

ˈkä-

often attributive

: a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant

: any of several Old World tropical plants (genus Coffea and especially C. arabica and C. canephora) of the madder family that are widely cultivated in warm regions for their seeds from which coffee is prepared

: coffee seeds especially roasted and often ground compare arabica, robusta

: a dehydrated product made from brewed coffee

instant coffee

also : a beverage made from this

: a cup of coffee

two coffees

: coffee hour

Did you know?

Coffee is made from the roasted and ground seeds, or beans, of the coffee plant, a tropical evergreen shrub. Two of the 25 or more species, Arabica and Robusta, supply most of the world's coffee. Arabica is grown in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Indonesia; Robusta mainly in Africa. The shrub bears small white flowers with a jasmine-like fragrance. The fruit, which is red when mature, is called a cherry. The seed is called a bean. Coffee contains large amounts of caffeine, whose effects have always been an important element in the drink's popularity. Coffee-drinking dates from the 15th century in Arabia. It reached Europe by the 17th century and immediately became popular. Coffee is consumed by about one-third of the world's population.

Examples of coffee in a Sentence

I bought a pound of coffee.

Recent Examples on the Web Neighbor David Johnson was having coffee and smoking a cigarette in his garage when the block shook. —

Karen Cortes, NBC News, 30 Nov. 2023 For some people, buying a $5 cup of coffee is a necessity. —

Gary Stern, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 In fact, a British man in 1966 named Angus Barbieri once survived for 382 days with no solid food, consuming only tea, coffee, water, soda water, and vitamins. —

Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 29 Nov. 2023 Another photo also shows a small box with a ring in between two green mugs of coffee. —

Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2023 Herbal coffees and inflammation-taming turmeric foods and drinks are just a couple of many recent examples of this 2024 food trend bubbling up already. —

Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Nov. 2023 The Java grinder is an extension of that—a portable coffee grinder rugged enough to survive the zombie apocalypse or a bumpy ride to your favorite campsite. —

Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 27 Nov. 2023 Some other kitchen gadgets include a Kitchen Aid food processor, Vitamix immersion blender, and a coffee grinder for your morning brew. —

Malia Griggs, Glamour, 27 Nov. 2023 People are on edge: When Taylor spilled his hot coffee and yelled in pain, nearby people ran into the street, believing his cry signaled that Israeli soldiers had entered Ramallah and a third intifada had begun. —

Amelia Newcomb, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coffee.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.