cacao

Everyday

1. Cacao is a tropical tree whose seeds, called cacao beans or cocoa beans, are used to make chocolate and cocoa. tree →
2. Cacao also means those beans or the raw powder made from them before much processing. tree →

In the lessons

In science and geography lessons cacao is an example of a crop grown near the equator, in West Africa and South and Central America; the beans grow in big pods on the tree trunk. In history, the Maya and Aztecs made a bitter cacao drink. In food shops, «cacao» on a label usually means less processed than «cocoa».

Examples

• Chocolate is made from cacao beans. tree →
• The cacao tree grows pods on its trunk. tree →
• Ghana and Ivory Coast grow lots of cacao. tree →
• The Aztecs drank bitter cacao with chilli. tree →
• Cacao beans are dried in the sun. tree →
• This bar has seventy per cent cacao. tree →
• Each cacao pod holds about forty beans. tree →

Note

Pronounced «kuh-KOW» or «kuh-KAY-oh». Cacao and cocoa are nearly the same; cocoa is the usual word for the powder and drink. Not the same as coconut or coca (a different plant).