coffee

noun, often attributive

cof·fee | \ ˈkȯ-fē

How to pronounce coffee (audio)

, ˈkä-\

Definition of coffee

1a : a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant

b : 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

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

d : a dehydrated product made from brewed coffee instant coffee also : a beverage made from this

2 : a cup of coffee two coffees

3 : coffee hour

Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about coffee

Keep scrolling for more

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

The post was accompanied by a parody Starbucks logo featuring coffee being dumped from a cup. — Fox News, "Starbucks apologizes after police officers asked to leave shop because of customer complaint," 7 July 2019 This time, though, the coffee giant is apologizing to officers with the Tempe Police Department in Arizona. — Amir Vera, CNN, "Starbucks apologizes to Arizona police after officers were asked to leave because a customer felt unsafe," 6 July 2019 Named Magnolia Press after their company, Magnolia, and a french press coffee machine, the HGTV stars plan to open their new shop this coming fall. — Joelle Goldstein, PEOPLE.com, "See Inside Chip and Joanna Gaines' New Coffee Shop—Coming This Fall!," 5 July 2019 This super affordable French Press that'll turn you into a coffee expert My life is broken up into roughly epochs—pre- and post-French Press. — Shayna Murphy, USA TODAY, "The 5 best Amazon Prime Day deals you can get this Friday," 5 July 2019 Large yellow jackfruit grow like Chinese lanterns among loquat and clove trees, pepper vines and coffee plants. — The Economist, "The murky world of Madagascar’s roaring vanilla trade," 5 July 2019 There will be no CNN documentaries or coffee-table books that explore the meaning of the Happy Meal. — Chicago Tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, "Daywatch: ‘Pure chaos’ after Navy Pier stabbing, 7 charged with vandalizing The Bean and other things to know to start your day," 5 July 2019 White, crusty deposits form on teakettles and coffee pots. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How a Water Softener Works (And Why You Might Want One)," 4 July 2019 Air conditioning, coffee machines and dehumidifiers are just the start. — Jacob Krol, CNN Underscored, "Score a Wemo Smart Plug for the lowest price we've ever seen on Amazon," 4 July 2019

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

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for coffee

coffee

noun

English Language Learners Definition of coffee

: a dark brown drink made from ground coffee beans and boiled water

: coffee beans

See the full definition for coffee in the English Language Learners Dictionary

coffee

noun

cof·fee | \ ˈkȯ-fē

\

Kids Definition of coffee

1 : a drink made from the roasted and ground seeds ( coffee beans ) of a tropical plant

2 : the roasted seeds of the coffee plant when whole or ground

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

redaction

an act or instance of editing or removing

Test Your Vocabulary

What's that Smell?! Quiz

Someone who is hircine smells like a:

frog goat
dog horse

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ