cola
cola Lexical Profile
cola Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A sweet, brown carbonated soft drink flavored with caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils, and traditionally extracts from the kola nut.
"She ordered a cold glass of cola with lemon to accompany her lunch."
The bitter, caffeine-rich seed or nut borne inside the star-shaped fruit pods of tropical West African trees of the genus Cola, chewed as a stimulant and used as a flavoring agent.
"For centuries, merchants across West Africa traded bitter cola seeds as a natural stimulant and symbol of hospitality."
Any of several tropical evergreen trees of the genus Cola, native to the rainforests of West Africa within the mallow family Malvaceae, cultivated for their caffeine-containing seeds.
"The farmers planted rows of shade-tolerant cola trees along the edge of the tropical plantation."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the West African tree or its bitter seed directly in botanical or cultural contexts, the spelling 'kola' is frequently preferred, whereas 'cola' is standard for the carbonated beverage.
• Rhymes for cola
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 18th century from West African languages, notably Temne 'kola' and Mandinka 'kolo', referring to the caffeine-rich nut native to the tropical rainforests of West Africa.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.