coconut

noun

co·​co·​nut ˈkō-kə-(ˌ)nət 

1

: the drupaceous fruit of the coconut palm whose outer fibrous husk yields coir and whose nut contains thick edible meat and, in the fresh fruit, a clear liquid (see coconut water)

2

: the edible meat of the coconut

Examples of coconut in a Sentence

The pastry is covered with shredded coconut.

Recent Examples on the Web

The menu featured a farmer’s market salad with a Lao-style egg yolk dressing, papaya salad, yellowtail crudo with a yuzu coconut jeow and perilla, vegetable red curry, beef red curry, and the siu mai. — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026

There’s Kui Lei-making, where visitors hear the history of the lei while learning to sew one; traditional bamboo stamp printing; or coconut frond weaving, which Native Hawaiians have practiced for millennia. — Stephanie Vermillion, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026

Extra offerings include a Thai tea milkshake topped with coconut and drizzled caramel. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

No fruit here in this upside-down cake, just a brown sugary streusel-like layer of walnuts, coconut, and granola baked under (then flipped over) a vanilla coffee cake. — Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 16 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing coconut

• coconut crab
• coconut milk
• coconut oil
• coconut palm
• coconut shy
• coconut water

Rhymes for coconut

• butternut
• cocoanut
• hazelnut
• undercut
• abut
• catgut
• chesnut
• chestnut
• donut
• doughnut
• groundnut
• haircut

Kids Definition

coconut

noun

co·​co·​nut ˈkō-kə-(ˌ)nət 

: the large egg-shaped husk-covered fruit of the coconut palm

Medical Definition

coconut

noun

co·​co·​nut ˈkō-kə-(ˌ)nət 

1

: the fruit of the coconut palm having an outer fibrous husk with a nut containing thick edible meat and coconut milk

2

: the edible meat of the coconut