java

noun

ja·​va ˈja-və  ˈjä- 

-vē

variants or less commonly Java

1

: coffee

2

usually Java : arabica coffee beans of plants grown in Java, Indonesia that produce a usually full-bodied coffee of low to medium acidity

Examples of java in a Sentence

a hot cup of java

Recent Examples on the Web

Seyfried then asked Sweeney to spill on her own java preferences, which prompted an unexpected answer. —Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025

The perfect espresso should take no more than 30 seconds or so to pull, a jolt of just-right java that’s effortlessly made and instantly drunk. —Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 2025

There is also a rotating pastry selection from Good Luck Bakery from Wednesdays to Saturdays and strong java from Counter Culture Coffee. —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025

To reap the most nutrients from your java, skip the sugar and milk and enjoy it black (preferably filtered) to sip your way to better health. —Laura Schober, Health, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Java, island of Indonesia

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for java

• cava
• fava
• guava
• jahveh
• lava
• balaclava
• cassava

Geographical Definition

Java

geographical name

Ja·​va ˈjä-və 

ˈja-

variants or Indonesian Djawa

ˈjä-və 

island of Indonesia in the Greater Sunda Islands southeast of Sumatra and south of Borneo between the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean; chief city Jakarta area 51,007 square miles (132,618 square kilometers), population 107,581,306