Phrase guide

kola nut

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˈkoʊləˌnʌt/
  • UK: /ˈkəʊ.ləˌnʌt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The edible seed of the kola tree, Cola acuminata and related species, used as a flavoring and as a source of caffeine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The local people here believe that kola nut tea -- or as they call it, bissy tea -- is a cure for all ailments.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

tree bearing large brown nuts containing e.g. caffeine; source of cola extract

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: kola, kola nut tree, goora nut, Cola acuminata

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: nut tree

3

noun

Meaning 3

bitter brown seed containing caffein; source of cola extract

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cola nut

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: nut

History

Etymology

Compound of kola + nut

Across languages

Translations

82 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Aja (West Africa): golo — seed
  • Aghem: ébiá — seed
  • Akan: bese — seed
  • Akan: bɩsɩ — seed
  • Akoose: abii — seed
  • Bade: goorón — seed
  • Bafanji: pi — seed
  • Bambara: wòro — seed
  • Bissa: guuru — seed
  • Bongili: ibelu — seed
  • Chumburung: kapo̱se̱e̱ — seed
  • Dagbani: guli — seed
  • Dii: gʉ̀ʉ̀ — seed
  • Jamsay: gǒorò — seed
  • Dyula: wolo — seed
  • Dyula: woro — seed
  • Ifè: gɔ̀ɔ́rɔ̀ — seed
  • Edo: ẹvbẹe — seed
  • Finnish: kolapähkinä — seed
  • Fon: gbawunjà — seed
  • Fula: gooro — seed
  • Fula: goro — seed
  • Saxwe Gbe: ovi — seed
  • German: Kolanuss — seed
  • Gikyode: gɛpusɛɛ — seed
  • Gonja: kapushe — seed
  • Gourmanchéma: guoli — seed
  • Gun: gbanja — seed
  • Gur Lama: korʋ — seed
  • Gusilay: fúkuuruwa — seed
  • Hausa: gōr̃ò — seed
  • Hindi: कोला (kolā) — seed
  • Igbo: ọjị — seed
  • Italian: noce di cola — seed
  • Jamaican Creole: bissy — seed
  • Kabiye: kɔɔyɛ — seed
  • Kanuri: góro — seed
  • Karekare: gōrṑ — seed
  • Kasem: goori — seed
  • Kasem: gwe — seed
  • Konkomba: liguunl — seed
  • Koonzime: gʉrʉ — seed
  • Lagwan: goro — seed
  • Lika: lɨgɔ — seed
  • Eastern Maninkakan: wòro — seed
  • Mandinka: kùruwo — seed
  • Mbelime: hùodè — seed
  • Mbuko: guro — seed
  • Mmen: epî — seed
  • Moba: guol — seed
  • Moba: gɔa — seed
  • Moore: gʋʋre — seed
  • Nawdm: goor — seed
  • Ngamo: goorò — seed
  • Ngbaka: màkó — seed
  • Ngwo: éfi — seed
  • Nkonya: bɩsɩ — seed
  • Ntcham: digoondi — seed
  • Nupe: ebì — seed
  • Pagibete: egó — seed
  • Podoko: garəwə — seed
  • Portuguese: noz-de-cola — seed
  • Portuguese: obi — seed
  • Southern Samo: wòro — seed
  • Humburi Senni: góorò — seed
  • Senoufo Djimini: gbɛsɛ — seed
  • Nafaanra: kpahɛ — seed
  • Sisaala: gúorí — seed
  • Soninke: goro — seed
  • Spanish: nuez de cola — seed
  • Tampulma: goora — seed
  • Tem: gɔɔ́rɔ — seed
  • Tikar: ŋ̀gæ̀n — seed
  • Turka: worow — seed
  • Uldeme: gwaro — seed
  • Vame: gwaru — seed
  • Wandala: gwarau — seed
  • Wolof: guru — seed
  • Yamba: dzə̀ — seed
  • Yoruba: obì — seed
  • Zarma: góorò — seed
  • Zulgo-Gemzek: gwarwa — seed