COCOA, noun A tree belonging to the genus Cocos, of the order of Palmae; and the fruit or nut of the tree. This tree grows in the warm climates of both the Indies. It rises to the highth of 60 feet, and the stem is like an apothecarys pestle, of equal thickness at the ends, but somewhat smaller in the middle. The bark is smooth, of a pale brown color, and the tree often leans to one side. The leaves or branches are 14 or 15 feet long, about 28 in number, winged, of a yellow color, straight and tapering. The nuts hang in clusters of a dozen each, on the top of the tree. The husk of this nut consists of strong, tough, stringy filaments, resembling coarse oakum. This covers a hard shell, which contains a white kernel that is wholesome food, and a liquor which is a cooling beverage.