: a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant
b
: any of several Old World tropical plants (genus Coffea and especially C. arabica and C. canephora) of the madder family that are widely cultivated in warm regions for their seeds from which coffee is prepared
c
: coffee seeds especially roasted and often ground compare arabica, robusta
Coffee is made from the roasted and ground seeds, or beans, of the coffee plant, a tropical evergreen shrub. Two of the 25 or more species, Arabica and Robusta, supply most of the world's coffee. Arabica is grown in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Indonesia; Robusta mainly in Africa. The shrub bears small white flowers with a jasmine-like fragrance. The fruit, which is red when mature, is called a cherry. The seed is called a bean. Coffee contains large amounts of caffeine, whose effects have always been an important element in the drink's popularity. Coffee-drinking dates from the 15th century in Arabia. It reached Europe by the 17th century and immediately became popular. Coffee is consumed by about one-third of the world's population.
Examples of coffee in a Sentence
I bought a pound of coffee.
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The drinks are designed to fit into a variety of daily routines: from a post-workout option to a lighter alternative to coffee or soda.—Amber Love Bond, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025 The Farm has a main kitchen, where there are complimentary breakfasts of fruit, veggies, yogurt, and coffee.—Matthew Monagan, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2025 Enjoy your morning coffee out on the deck, reading in the garden, or breakfast on the balcony thanks to this space-saving seating and table combo.—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025 Each additional cup of coffee was linked to a 2% to 5% greater chance of healthier aging, the study found.—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for coffee
Word History
Etymology
Italian & Turkish; Italian caffè, from Turkish kahve, from Arabic qahwa
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