coffee

noun

cof·​fee ˈkȯ-fē 

ˈkä-

often attributive

1

a

: a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant see also iced coffee, irish coffee, turkish coffee

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

Illustration of coffee

• coffee 1b

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

David Gallos’s scenic design showcases a modest but welcoming home where Bertha’s biscuits bake in the oven, a box of dominoes lies tucked on a side table, and warm coffee heats on the stove. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 26 Apr. 2026

Saturday at Water Street Mall in downtown Aurora where volunteers were welcomed with coffee and doughnuts and given materials needed for the clean-up effort. —David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026

Plus, ‘digital Darwinism,’ a ‘coffee test’ for robots, touchscreen breathalyzers and more. —Emma Court, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026

Choose a place with a limited time frame, such as waiting in line for coffee or for a train, standing in a checkout line or buying movie tickets. —Patricia Steckler, Baltimore Sun, 26 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian & Turkish; Italian caffè, from Turkish kahve, from Arabic qahwa

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing coffee

• coffee bar
• coffee bean
• coffee break
• coffee cake
• coffee hour
• coffee klatch
• coffee-klatsch
• coffee machine
• coffee maker
• coffee mill
• coffee ring
• coffee roll
• coffee room
• coffee royal
• coffee shop
• coffee-table
• coffee-table book
• coffee tree
• cold-brew coffee
• ice coffee
• iced coffee
• Irish coffee
• Kentucky coffee tree
• regular coffee
• Turkish coffee
• wake up and smell the coffee/roses

Rhymes for coffee

• feoffee
• toffee

Kids Definition

coffee

noun

cof·​fee ˈkȯ-fē 

ˈkäf-ē

1

: a drink made from the roasted and ground seeds of a tropical tree or shrub related to the madder

2

: coffee seeds or a plant producing them

3

: a cup of coffee

two coffees

Etymology

from Italian caffè "coffee" and Turkish kahve "coffee," both from Arabic qaḥwa "coffee"