Definition

Noun: 1. The large, hard-shelled seed of the coconut palm: A cocoanut is the oval-shaped fruit of the coconut palm tree (Cocos nucifera). It has a fibrous outer husk, a hard inner shell, and contains white edible flesh (meat) and a liquid (coconut water).

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The monkey skillfully cracked the cocoanut open on a rock.
  • We bought fresh cocoanuts from the market to drink the water inside.
  • The recipe calls for one cup of grated cocoanut meat.

Advanced Usage

• "Cocoanut" as a spelling variant: The word "cocoanut" is an older, now less common spelling of the modern standard word "coconut". Both refer to the same fruit. In contemporary English, "coconut" is the preferred and almost universally used spelling.

Variants and Related Words

• Coconut (n): The modern standard spelling for "cocoanut". All meanings are identical.
• Copra (n): The dried kernel (meat) of the coconut, from which oil is extracted.
• Coir (n): The coarse fiber from the outer husk of the coconut, used for making ropes and mats.

Synonyms

• Coconut: (The direct and primary synonym, being the modern spelling).

Notes on Meaning

• The definition refers specifically to the whole, unprocessed nut, including its husk, shell, meat, and water. In common usage, the word can also refer to the edible white meat alone after it has been removed from the shell (e.g., "shredded coconut/cocoanut").

Noun

1. large hard-shelled oval nut with a fibrous husk containing thick white meat surrounding a central cavity filled (when fresh) with fluid or milk