1
: any of several South American shrubs (genus Erythroxylon, family Erythroxylaceae)
especially
: one (E. coca) that is the primary source of cocaine
2
: dried leaves of a coca (especially Erythroxylon coca) containing alkaloids including cocaine
Examples of coca in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Most exciting of all, a coca pouch the size of a wallet was sewn onto the primary cord.
—
Sam Kean, The Atlantic, 26 May 2025
The coca of Colombia, Erythroxylum novogranatense var.
—Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
The third and preferred option for advocates is to have coca descheduled, removed altogether from the shackles of the treaty, making coca freely available to all.
—Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
Coca-Cola was invented by Dr. John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist who created the formula in a three-legged brass kettle in his backyard combining lime, cinnamon, coca leaves and the seeds of a Brazilian shrub to make the famous beverage.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coca
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Sam Kean, The Atlantic, 26 May 2025
The coca of Colombia, Erythroxylum novogranatense var.
—Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
The third and preferred option for advocates is to have coca descheduled, removed altogether from the shackles of the treaty, making coca freely available to all.
—Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
Coca-Cola was invented by Dr. John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist who created the formula in a three-legged brass kettle in his backyard combining lime, cinnamon, coca leaves and the seeds of a Brazilian shrub to make the famous beverage.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coca
Cite this Entry
“Coca.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coca. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coca
noun
co·ca
ˈkō-kə 
: a South American shrub with leaves that are the source of cocaine
also
: its dried leaves
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