tapioca

noun

tap·​i·​o·​ca ˌta-pē-ˈō-kə 

1

: a usually granular preparation of cassava starch used especially in puddings and as a thickening in liquid food

also : a dish (such as pudding) containing tapioca

2

: cassava

Examples of tapioca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Highlights from my dining included an heirloom tomato tart with local Cranky Goat cheese and sturgeon caviar from Rotorua, and Mount Cook salmon with yuzu and nori tapioca. —Kendall Hill, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2025

The new Front Street location will serve only self-service bubble teas with milk and tapioca pearls, and maybe some small food items. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 May 2025

Cookies and cakes: For treats like cookies and cakes, substitute wheat flour with almond flour, cassava or tapioca flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour. —Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Rdn, Health, 16 Apr. 2025

The menu finishes with a dessert of cacao pulp with tapioca and pink pepper. —Claudia Alarcón, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese, from Tupi tɨpɨʔóka

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tapioca

• boca
• bocca
• broca
• cloaca
• coca
• loca
• phoca

Kids Definition

tapioca

noun

tap·​i·​o·​ca ˌtap-ē-ˈō-kə 

: grains or flakes of starch from the cassava root that are used especially in puddings and as a thickening in liquid foods

also : a food (as pudding) that contains tapioca