cocoa

The word “cocoa” means a brown powder made from roasted, ground cacao beans, used to make chocolate and in baking. In plain terms, the powder chocolate is made from, or a warm chocolatey milk drink made from it.

“Cocoa” is pronounced KOH-koh (/ˈkoʊ.koʊ/ in IPA).

Here is “cocoa” used in a sentence: “Sift the cocoa powder into the cake batter.”

“Cocoa” is a noun.

The word “cocoa” comes from Spanish. From Spanish cacao, ultimately from the Nahuatl word cacahuatl; the spelling "cocoa" arose from confusion with the unrelated word "coco" and was later fixed in place by an early English dictionary.

“Cocoa” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Cocoa” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a brown powder made from roasted, ground cacao beans, used to make chocolate and in baking.

Cacao generally refers to the raw beans and less-processed products, while cocoa refers to the brown powder made from roasted, ground cacao beans, typically after further processing. Cocoa powder is what is commonly used to make chocolate and in baking or hot drinks.

Not exactly. Cocoa in its drink form is made by mixing cocoa powder with milk and sugar, while hot chocolate is often made with melted chocolate itself and can be richer and sweeter. Both are warm milk-based drinks flavored with the cacao bean.

Cocoa powder, made from roasted and ground cacao beans, is widely used in baking and in making chocolate, giving cakes, biscuits, and confectionery their chocolate flavor. It is a key ingredient distinct from solid chocolate itself.