First Known Use: 1604
Dictionary
chocolate
noun choc·o·late \ˈchä-k(ə-)lət, ˈchȯ-\
: a food that is made from cacao beans and that is eaten as candy or used as a flavoring ingredient in other sweet foods
: a candy made or covered with chocolate
: a dark brown color
Full Definition of CHOCOLATE
1
: a beverage made by mixing chocolate with water or milk
2
: a food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans
3
: a small candy with a center (as a fondant) and a chocolate coating
4
: a brownish gray
— chocolate adjective
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Origin of CHOCOLATE
Spanish, from Nahuatl chocolātl, probably alteration of eastern Nahuatl dialect chikolātl, from chikolli hook (probably used to refer to the beater used to mix chocolate with water) + ātl water, liquid
CHOCOLATE Defined for Kids
chocolate
noun choc·o·late \ˈchä-kə-lət, ˈchä-klət, ˈchȯ-\
Definition of CHOCOLATE for Kids
1
: a food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans
2
: a candy made or coated with chocolate
3
: a beverage of chocolate in water or milk <… he ordered … a pot of coffee and another of chocolate. — Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain>
— chocolate adjective <chocolate ice cream>
Word History of CHOCOLATE
The word chocolate, like chili and tomato, comes from an American Indian language called Nahuatl, which was spoken in central Mexico at the time of the Spanish conquest. The Nahuatl word chocolātl looks like a compound, but its parts are not known for certain, and this has led to much discussion about its origin. One interesting idea is that the real source is chicolātl, a Nahuatl dialect word, made from chicolli, “hook”—here referring to the small hooked stick used to beat chocolate and hot water to a froth—and ātl, “liquid, water.”
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