Word
coca
Phoneticsco·ca
US/ˈkoʊkə/
UK/kˈəʊkɐ/
Definition
n. a South American plant whose leaves are used to make cocaine or chewed for energy.
n. a shrub native to the Andes, or its dried leaves, which contain alkaloids used to produce cocaine and are traditionally chewed as a stimulant.
Examples
“Farmers in the Andes have grown coca for centuries.”
“The guide suggested chewing coca leaves to help us deal with the thin air at the mountain summit.”
“While international treaties regulate the cultivation of coca due to its role in cocaine production, many indigenous communities defend its traditional use as a fundamental cultural right.”
Examples
simple
“Farmers in the Andes have grown coca for centuries.”
contextual
“The guide suggested chewing coca leaves to help us deal with the thin air at the mountain summit.”
complex
“While international treaties regulate the cultivation of coca due to its role in cocaine production, many indigenous communities defend its traditional use as a fundamental cultural right.”
Real-World Examples
“Many of the plants in his project are considered dangerous through a western lens – such as coca, used to produce cocaine, and the poisonous Borrachero – whereas their indigenous uses are purely salutary.” “I found solace in the preparation of coca powder, a stimulant now referred to as mambe to distinguish it from the illicit version – the white one.” Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish coca, from Quechua kuka, perhaps from Aymara.
Borrowed from Catalan coca. Doublet of cake.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/coca