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
While the San Martin jungle region was long known for farming cacao and coffee, decades ago many farmers had been forced to grow coca for the drug industry.
—
Kristine M. Kierzek, Journal Sentinel, 10 May 2024
Natural medicines, such as gingko and coca leaves, are touted as natural altitude sickness treatments, but few studies have been done on them.
—Brian Strickland, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for coca 
Kristine M. Kierzek, Journal Sentinel, 10 May 2024
Natural medicines, such as gingko and coca leaves, are touted as natural altitude sickness treatments, but few studies have been done on them.
—Brian Strickland, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for coca
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coca.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near coca
Cite this Entry
“Coca.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coca. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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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