Illustration of cacao
- cacao 2
cacao
noun
ca·cao
kə-ˈkau̇
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
2
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
The 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
Cite this Entry
“Cacao.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cacao. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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