cocoa bean

noun

plural cocoa beans
: a dried, fermented, fatty seed of the fruit of a South American tropical evergreen tree (Theobroma cacao of the family Malvaceae) that is used in making cocoa, chocolate, and cocoa butter : cacao sense 1
The cocoa bean contains cocoa solids (particles) and about 53 percent cocoa butter.Rose Levy Beranbaum

Examples of cocoa bean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Meaning: Cocoa Derivation: The name Coco is derived from the English word cocoa and Spanish word cacao, referring to the cocoa bean or cacao tree (where chocolate comes from). Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2025 And these seeds—which are also often referred to as cocoa beans—are rich in plant compounds known as flavanols, a type of polyphenol linked to a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes. Elizabeth Yuko, Health, 11 Feb. 2025 White chocolate doesn’t contain cocoa beans, and Routhenstein said that the beans that end up in dark and milk chocolate products typically undergo processes that can significantly lower their flavanol content. Elizabeth Yuko, Health, 11 Feb. 2025 Best of all, the decadent base note of this fragrance doesn't come from synthetic scents—instead, upcycled cocoa shells left over from roasted cocoa beans are used to create a fresh-baked aroma, mixed with both bourbon and vanilla beans, and rounded out by a touch of musk. Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for cocoa bean

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cocoa bean was in 1799

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Cite this Entry

“Cocoa bean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cocoa%20bean. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

cocoa bean

noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cocoa bean

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