acai

noun

ˌä-ˌsä-ˈē How to pronounce acai (audio)
-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 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acai.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of acai was circa 1861

Dictionary Entries Near acai

Cite this Entry

“Acai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acai. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.

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