Illustration of coffee
- coffee 1b
often attributive
1
a
: 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
d
: a dehydrated product made from brewed coffee
instant coffee
also
: a beverage made from this
2
: a cup of coffee
two coffees
3
Did you know?
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
The color palette features deep, sophisticated hues, black, coffee, and merlot, a rich, intense Bordeaux that infuses the collection with a touch of passion.
—
Felicity Carter, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
And while its landmarks are certainly a must for first-time visitors, the true appeal of Paris is found in the everyday; a quiet stroll through Montmartre, a leisurely morning coffee along Canal Saint Martin, or an afternoon nap in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2025
Meet friends for social outings, coffee, lunch or happy hour.
—Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2025
Canada also put $21 billion of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods like orange juice, peanut butter, coffee, appliances, footwear, cosmetics, motorcycles and paper products.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coffee
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Felicity Carter, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
And while its landmarks are certainly a must for first-time visitors, the true appeal of Paris is found in the everyday; a quiet stroll through Montmartre, a leisurely morning coffee along Canal Saint Martin, or an afternoon nap in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2025
Meet friends for social outings, coffee, lunch or happy hour.
—Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2025
Canada also put $21 billion of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods like orange juice, peanut butter, coffee, appliances, footwear, cosmetics, motorcycles and paper products.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coffee
Cite this Entry
“Coffee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coffee. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coffee
noun
cof·fee
ˈkȯ-fē 
ˈkäf-ē
1
: a drink made from the roasted and ground seeds of a tropical tree or shrub related to the madder
2
: coffee seeds or a plant producing them
3
: a cup of coffee
two coffees
Etymology
from Italian caffè "coffee" and Turkish kahve "coffee," both from Arabic qaḥwa "coffee"
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