coffee

English Online Dictionary. What means coffee‎? What does coffee mean?

English

Wikiquote

Alternative forms

• coffée (rare)

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch koffie, from Italian caffè, from Ottoman Turkish قهوه (kahve), from Arabic قَهْوَة (qahwa). Doublet of café and caffè and cognate with the words for "coffee" in other major European languages, most of which are derived from the Turkish and Italian words.

Pronunciation

• (Modern, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒf.i/
• (Conservative, Received Pronunciation, dated) IPA^(key): /ˈkɔː.fɪ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɔ.fi/
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑ.fi/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒ.fi/
• (New York City) IPA^(key): /ˈkoə.fi/
• Homophone: coughy
• Hyphenation: cof‧fee
• Rhymes: -ɒfi, -ɔːfi

Noun

coffee (countable and uncountable, plural coffees) [from 1598]

2. (uncountable) A beverage made by infusing the beans of the coffee plant in hot water.
4. (countable) A serving of this beverage.
6. The seeds of the plant used to make coffee, called ‘beans’ due to their shape.
8. The powder made by roasting and grinding the seeds.
10. A tropical plant of the genus Coffea.
12. A pale brown color, like that of milk coffee.

14. The end of a meal, when coffee is served.

Synonyms

• Thesaurus:coffee
• Thesaurus:color

Derived terms

Related terms

• caffeine
• kaffeeklatsch

Descendants

Translations

Adjective

coffee (not comparable)

1. Of a pale brown colour, like that of milk coffee.
2. Of a table: a small, low table suitable for people in lounge seating to put coffee cups on.

Translations

Verb

coffee (third-person singular simple present coffees, present participle coffeeing or coffee-ing, simple past and past participle coffeed or coffee'd or coffee-ed)

1. (intransitive) To drink coffee.
2. (transitive) To give coffee to.

See also

References

Further reading

• The Origins of Coffe on Foodie’s Corner
• Podictionary article on “coffee” including its relationship with wine
• PBS documentary *Black Coffee, The Irresistible Bean. Discusses the origin of the word including the relationship with wine. Starts at 10:52