Illustration of cacao
- cacao 2
cacao
noun
ca·cao
kə-ˈkau̇ 
kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō
kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō
plural cacaos
1
or cacao bean
: a dried, fermented, fatty seed of the fruit of a South American evergreen tree (Theobroma cacao of the family Malvaceae) that is used in making cocoa, chocolate, and cocoa butter : cocoa bean
… polyphenols also make cacao beans taste astringent and bitter.—
Patricia Gadsby
Patricia Gadsby2
or cacao tree
: a tree having small yellowish flowers followed by fleshy pods from which cacao is obtained
Chocolate starts as the seeds in the fruits of the cacao tree, a tropical plant that produces flowers and fruit not at the tips of branches but on the trunk.—Kenneth Chang
Kenneth ChangThe cacao tree is native to the tropical countries of South America, but now grows in other parts of the world, notably Africa, the West Indies, and Central America.—Joanna Morris
Joanna Morris
Examples of cacao in a Sentence
a farmer who grows cacao
Recent Examples on the Web
Key colors include dark neutrals like mineral gray and cacao brown, deep shades of purple and burgundy and dirty blues.
—Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
The wellness program works with local communities to source the delicious ingredients—like cacao, honey, rosemary and ginger—found in all of their spa products.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 May 2026
Plant Bar is a community space serving zero-proof cocktails, tea, cacao and pastries with optional kava, CBD or THC.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 22 May 2026
Plant Bar is a non-alcoholic community space offering tea, coffee, zero proof cocktails, cacao and pastries, with add-ons available including kava, CBD and THC.
—Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cacao
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Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
The wellness program works with local communities to source the delicious ingredients—like cacao, honey, rosemary and ginger—found in all of their spa products.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 May 2026
Plant Bar is a community space serving zero-proof cocktails, tea, cacao and pastries with optional kava, CBD or THC.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 22 May 2026
Plant Bar is a non-alcoholic community space offering tea, coffee, zero proof cocktails, cacao and pastries, with add-ons available including kava, CBD and THC.
—Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cacao
Cite this Entry
“Cacao.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cacao. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cacao
noun
ca·cao
kə-ˈkau̇
kə-ˈkā-ō
plural cacaos
1
: a South American tree that bears small yellowish flowers followed by fleshy yellow pods containing many seeds
2
: the dried fatty seeds of the cacao from which cocoa and chocolate are made
called also cacao bean
Medical Definition
cacao
noun
ca·cao
kə-ˈkau̇
kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō
kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō
plural cacaos
1
: the dried partly fermented fatty seeds of a South American evergreen tree (Theobroma cacao of the family Malvaceae) that are used in making cocoa, chocolate, and cocoa butter
called also cacao bean, cocoa bean
2
: a tree having small yellowish flowers followed by fleshy pods with many seeds that bear cacao
called also chocolate tree
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