coca

noun

co·​ca ˈkō-kə 

1

: any of several South American shrubs (genus Erythroxylon, family Erythroxylaceae)

especially : one (E. coca) that is the primary source of cocaine

2

: dried leaves of a coca (especially Erythroxylon coca) containing alkaloids including cocaine

Examples of coca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to El Espectador, Cepeda has explained that most farmers plant coca crops not out of choice but due to a lack of available resources. —Chad De Guzman, Time, 1 June 2026

Approximately 260,000 hectares are dedicated to coca leaf cultivation. —Roberto Andrés, The Dial, 28 May 2026

Brazil’s criminal organizations Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital have expanded aggressively across the Amazon over the past decade and now dominate key trafficking corridors linking coca-growing regions in Colombia and Peru to Atlantic ports used to ship cocaine to Europe. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026

In Trim’s thick Geechee accent (coca-nut wataa), the words come alive and escape the contours of the waveform. —Mano Sundaresan, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Quechua kuka

First Known Use

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for coca

• boca
• bocca
• broca
• cloaca
• loca
• phoca
• tapioca

Kids Definition

coca

noun

co·​ca ˈkō-kə 

: a South American shrub with leaves that are the source of cocaine

also : its dried leaves

Medical Definition

coca

noun

co·​ca ˈkō-kə 

1

: any of several South American shrubs (genus Erythroxylon of the family Erythroxylaceae)

especially : one (E. coca) that is the primary source of cocaine

2

: dried leaves of a coca (as Erythroxylon coca) containing alkaloids including cocaine