stevia

noun

ste·​via ˈstē-vē-ə 

-vyə

1

: any of a genus (Stevia) of composite herbs and shrubs of tropical and subtropical America

especially : a white-flowered tender perennial (S. rebaudiana) native to Paraguay

2

: a white powder composed of one or more intensely sweet glycosides derived from the leaves of a stevia (S. rebaudiana) and used as noncaloric sweetener

Examples of stevia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If those issues aren't a concern for you, there aren't many other downsides to swapping your sugar for stevia, nutrition experts say. —Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

There’s no monk fruit, stevia, or artificial sweeteners in sight here. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Sep. 2025

They’re sweetened with stevia and monk fruit, with decadent flavors like cookies n’ cream and key lime pie. —Francesca Krempa, SELF, 13 Aug. 2025

The stevia and monk fruit products were mislabeled. —Amber Brenza, Health, 8 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Petrus Jacobus Stevus (Pedro Jaime Esteve) †1555 Spanish physician and botanist

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stevia

• previa

Medical Definition

stevia

noun

ste·​via ˈstē-vē-ə 

: a South American perennial shrub (Stevia rebaudiana) of the composite family

also : a very sweet noncaloric glycoside-containing substance that is obtained from the leaves of the stevia