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

All three of Ina Garten’s best brownie recipes use a type of java that packs even more flavor than a cup of joe. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2026

Help realize your favorite coffee lover’s barista dreams with a gift that will elevate their at-home java game. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 8 Sep. 2026

Those forms of java will make the menu, as will other coffee house staples, when Waterbird reopens this summer. — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026

For another java option, visit Roost + Banter for breakfast or lunch. — Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Java, island of Indonesia

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for java

• cava
• fava
• flava
• 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)