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Definition of shea

shea

/ˈʃiː.ə/
she · a
Plural:sheas
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shea Lexical Profile

shea Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A yellowish-white fatty substance extracted from the nuts of the shea tree, widely used as an emollient in cosmetics and as a cooking fat; shea butter.

Example

"This winter hand lotion is enriched with pure shea to soothe dry skin."

2

A deciduous tree of the family Sapotaceae (Vitellaria paradoxa) native to the dry savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, bearing oil-rich nuts used to make shea butter.

Example

"Farmers across the West African savanna protect wild shea trees when clearing land for crops."

3

The plum-like fruit or oil-rich seed nut of the shea tree, harvested for culinary and cosmetic fat extraction.

Example

"Women in the village gather the fallen shea fruits each morning during the rainy season."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for shea

• Rhymes for shea

• Nearby Words

shawn
shazam
she
shea
sheaf
shear
shearer

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 18th century via Mungo Park's West African travel writings from Bambara 'sii' (pronounced 'shee'), the native name for the tree.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Shea. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/shea
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