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Cocos nucifera

Cocos nucifera

6.8
A tall tropical palm tree that produces coconuts
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Cocos nucifera
  • The Cocos nucifera is often referred to as the coconut palm.

Examples

  • The Cocos nucifera is a vital resource for many coastal communities.

  • Leaves of the Cocos nucifera are often used for weaving mats and baskets.

  • Farmers in Indonesia cultivate Cocos nucifera for both its fruit and fiber.

  • Many people enjoy the fruit of the Cocos nucifera during summer.

  • Farmers in Indonesia cultivate Cocos nucifera for both its fruit and fiber.

  • The Cocos nucifera is a vital resource for many coastal communities.

  • Many people enjoy the fruit of the Cocos nucifera during summer.

Synonyms

coconut
vsCocos nucifera
23 1.0

A tall tropical palm tree that grows large hard fruits

is the official species name written alone
coconut tree
vsCocos nucifera
4 1.0

A tall tropical palm that grows coconuts near the coast

is the formal species name not the coastal term
coco
vsCocos nucifera
2 2.6

A tall palm tree that grows a large round fruit with a hard shell in tropical places

is the formal botanical name used in classification
coconut palm
vsCocos nucifera
1 2.7

A tall tropical palm tree that grows coconuts

is the botanical species name instead of this general descriptor
coco palm
vsCocos nucifera
3.4

A tall tropical palm tree that grows coconuts

is the scientific species name rather than this common name
cocoa palm
vsCocos nucifera
4.0

A tall tropical palm tree that grows coconuts

is the accepted scientific name rather than this variant term

Surface Forms

Morphology

Cocos + nucifera

The compound is a scientific binomial (genus + species) rather than a standard English phrase; if a learner knew 'Cocos' (a genus of tropical palms) and the Latin-derived 'nucifera' (literally 'nut-bearing'), the meaning 'coconut palm / nut-bearing Cocos' is directly derivable. However, 'nucifera' is a non-English, technical epithet not listed in the provided dictionary entry, and understanding requires botanical/Latin knowledge, so it is not fully transparently accessible to an average B1 learner without that background.

Etymology

Cocos nucifera comes from old words that describe the tree and its fruit. One popular story says Cocos comes from a Portuguese word for 'head' because the three dark spots on a coconut look like a face, and nucifera means 'nut-bearer' in Latin, so the name says the tree 'gives nuts' and fits the coconut palm we know today.