Definition

1. Noun:
   • A South American shrub: A plant native to South America, specifically the Andes region, whose leaves contain alkaloids including cocaine.
   • Dried leaves of the coca plant: The processed leaves of this shrub, traditionally chewed or brewed into tea by indigenous peoples of the Andes for their mild stimulant effects, which help alleviate altitude sickness, hunger, and fatigue.
   • A source of cocaine: The plant from which the drug cocaine is chemically extracted and refined.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The coca plant has been cultivated in the Andes for thousands of years.
  • Traditional medicine in some cultures uses coca leaves for their medicinal properties.
  • Cocaine is a powerful stimulant derived from the coca plant.

Advanced Usage

• "Coca cultivation": The agricultural practice of growing coca plants.
  • The government's policies aim to reduce illegal coca cultivation.
• "Coca leaf": Refers specifically to the leaf of the plant, often in its natural or dried form.
  • He offered me a coca leaf to chew to help with the altitude.

Variants and Related Words

• Cocaine (n): The powerful, addictive stimulant drug illegally refined from coca leaves.
  • Cocaine abuse is a serious public health issue.

Synonyms

• Erythroxylum coca (n): The scientific botanical name for the most common coca shrub species.
• Stimulant plant (n): A general descriptive term for plants with stimulating properties.

Noun

1. dried leaves of the coca plant (and related plants that also contain cocaine); chewed by Andean people for their stimulating effect
2. United States comedienne who starred in early television shows with Sid Caesar (1908-2001)
3. a South American shrub whose leaves are chewed by natives of the Andes; a source of cocaine