Phrase guide

shea butter

noun · 1 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

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  • General-American: /ˈʃeɪ ˌbʌtɚ/
  • General-American: [ˈʃeɪ̯ ˌbʌɾɚ]
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A slightly yellowish or ivory-colored natural fat extracted from fruit of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) by crushing and boiling, widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer and an emollient, as a cooking oil in West Africa, and sometimes used in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

40 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Aja (West Africa): yɔkumi — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Bambara: situlu — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Bissa: kurɲɔn — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Buli (Ghana): kpaam — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Cerma: nampilaŋo — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Chinese Mandarin: 乳木果油 (rǔmùguǒyóu) — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Chinese Mandarin: 乳油木果油 (rǔyóumùguǒyóu) — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Chinese Mandarin: 牛油樹脂 /牛油树脂 (niúyóu shùzhī) — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Chinese Mandarin: 牛油果精華 /牛油果精华 (niúyóuguǒ jīnghuá) — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Chinese Mandarin: 牛油果樹果脂 /牛油果树果脂 (niúyóuguǒshùguǒzhī) — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Chinese Mandarin: 牛油脂 (niúyóuzhī) — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Chumburung: kidembrawee — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Dagbani: kpakahili — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Dyula: situlu — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Ifè: òrí — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Farefare: kaam — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Finnish: karitevoi — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • French: beurre de karité — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Saxwe Gbe: limi — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • German: Sheabutter — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Gourmanchéma: sánkpàma — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Gourmanchéma: kpanaali — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Gourmanchéma: sànkpènààli — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Hungarian: sheavaj — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Hungarian: karitévaj — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Italian: burro di karitè — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Japanese: シアバター — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Kabiye: num kɩbam — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Mbelime: hoòmɔ́tídè — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Mbelime: caǹwùòmɛ̀ — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Moore: ka-moaaga — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Norwegian Bokmål: sheasmør — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Portuguese: manteiga de karité/carité — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Russian: масло ши (maslo ši) — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Russian: масло карите (maslo karite) — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Senoufo Djimini: logolo sinmɛ — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Senoufo Djimini: sinvunwɛ — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Spanish: manteca de karité — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Swedish: sheasmör — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree
  • Turka: nɔ̃mplaw — fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree