ENGLISH
REFERENCE

coconut

n. C / U
A2 Elementary US //ˈkoʊkəˌnət// UK //kˈəʊkənˌʌt// co·conut Slang Vulgar

n. a large nut with a hard brown shell and white flesh inside. You can eat the flesh or drink the sweet liquid found in the middle.

n. the large, oval, brown seed of a tropical palm, consisting of a fibrous husk surrounding a hard shell with edible white meat and a clear liquid known as coconut water.


SIMPLE

She uses fresh coconut to make the cake.

CONTEXTUAL

The islanders rely on the coconut for food, water, and oil, making it a vital part of their daily diet.

COMPLEX

While the outer husk is often discarded, the inner meat of the coconut is processed into various products ranging from milk to desiccated flakes for baking.

Synonyms
Origin

From coco + nut. In reference to assimilated Hispanic or black people, derived from the fruit's exotic origins. The slur originates from the idea that one is "brown on the outside, white on the inside". In reference to Polynesians, from the ubiquity of coconut palms in the area.

Usage

Countable when referring to the whole fruit; uncountable when referring to the white flesh or the flavor.

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