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 rainforests 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

Examples of acai in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

People enjoy it atop yogurt, on smoothies and acai bowls; over pancakes, waffles, French toast; and as an ingredient in trail mix, granola bars, and baked goods such as muffins, fruit crisps and cookies. —Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2024

After a class, head next door to the studio’s restaurant, Island Fresh Café, for an acai bowl or superfood smoothie or drop by the farm stand in the parking lot and grab some apple bananas, mangos, avocados, and banana bread for the beach. —Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2024

This set of 12 masks offers a range of essences: coconut, rose water, retinol, rice, acai berry, and seaweed. —Priscilla Mak, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2024

This year’s annual taste-testing of new offerings took place at the new kitchen at Belvedere Middle School in East L.A. Students sampled and rated an acai bowl with fresh fruit and a cheesy jalapeno biscuit with hot honey chicken. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2024

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 berry
• acai palm