acai

noun

ˌä-ˌsä-ˈē 

-sī-ˈē

variants or less commonly açai

1

a

or acai berry or less commonly açai berry : a small, dark purple, berrylike fruit with a juicy pulp that is often used in beverages or eaten raw and that is produced by a tall, slender palm (Euterpe oleracea) native to tropical rain forests of Central and South America

Note: Acai is a single-seeded drupe that grows in large clusters. In the Brazilian Amazon [Rainforest], acai makes up an important part of the local diet and is often prepared as a mash with cassava pulp.

b

or acai palm or less commonly açai palm : the palm (Euterpe oleracea) that produces acai berries

2

: a beverage made from the juice of the acai berry

Rio de Janeiro is the city that worships health and beauty and where the healthy and the beautiful drink acai.

—Alex Bellosz

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

The restaurants sell custom salads, grain bowls, acai bowls and smoothies; and regularly organize yoga and other fitness events. —Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Feb. 2023

Plus, it's made with antioxidants including acai oil and organic ingredients like shea butter and argan oil for more beautiful skin. —Kelsey Hurwitz, Woman's Day, 15 Feb. 2023

An abundance of fruit and plant extracts – including maca root, mushroom, acai, cucumber, and goji berry extracts – nourish the skin and provide additional antioxidant power. —Dallas News, 30 Nov. 2022

The product is full of good-for-hair ingredients like rosehip, acai, cocoa seed butter, pumpkin seed oil, aloe leaf juice, blackberry extract and rooibos. —Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2 June 2022

Exfoliating Icelandic volcanic sand is blended with hydrating cactus water, antioxidant-rich acai, and niacinamide (vitamin B3) helping clear dead skin cells and unclog pores. —The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 May 2022

Many of these buckets eventually make it to the United States, where the acai is processed, and later lands in your ten- to fifteen-dollar bowl or smoothie. —Nina Shapiro, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2021

This silky oil is packed with 5% Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (an advanced, stable form of Vitamin C) to minimize dark spots and boost collagen production, and acai and sea buckthorn oils to reduce inflammation and moisturize skin. —Katie Chang, Forbes, 31 Aug. 2021

Bases include acai, pitaya and matcha, and blueberries, coconut, goji berries, granola and chia seeds are among the toppings. —Sofia Krusmark, The Arizona Republic, 14 Aug. 2021

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Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Brazilian Portuguese assaí, uaçaí, açaí, the palm Euterpe oleracea, borrowed from Tupi *ɨβasaí, from ɨβá "plant, fruit" + an element of uncertain meaning

First Known Use

circa 1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing acai

• acai palm
• acai berry

• acai palm
• acai berry