any of several small trees and shrubs native to the tropical Old World yielding coffee beans
"The botanist pointed out that wild Coffea trees, which are actually large shrubs rather than tall timber plants, grow naturally in the deep shade of the rainforest understory."
a seed of the coffee tree; ground to make coffee
"The roaster carefully inspected each batch of green coffee before grinding it into beans for brewing."
a medium brown to dark-brown color
"The old sofa had faded from navy blue to a dull coffee shade after years of sun exposure."
A beverage made by infusing the beans of the coffee plant in hot water.
"I need to brew some fresh coffee before we head out for our morning run."
In plain English: Coffee is a hot drink made from roasted beans that people often use to wake up.
"She drank a cup of coffee to wake up in the morning."
Usage: Use "coffee" to refer specifically to the hot beverage brewed from roasted beans, not to other caffeinated drinks like tea or soda. It functions as a mass noun when speaking generally about the drink but takes an article when referring to a specific cup.
To drink coffee.
"I need to stop at the corner store just for a quick cup of coffee before my morning meeting."
In plain English: To coffee means to make someone feel more alert by giving them caffeine, usually from a cup of coffee.
"She decided to coffee with her friend before the big meeting."
Usage: Coffee is not used as a verb in standard English; you cannot say "to coffee." Instead, use the noun form directly, such as "I will have some coffee," or choose alternative verbs like "drink" or "sip.
Of a pale brown colour, like that of milk coffee.
"The old sofa has faded into a dull shade of coffee under years of sunlight."
"The coffee table was cluttered with newspapers and magazines."
Usage: Use "coffee" only as an adjective to describe something with a pale brown color resembling the uncreamed beverage. Never use it as a noun to refer to the drink itself or the plant in everyday conversation.
A surname.
"My neighbor, who happens to be named Coffee, always invites me over for a chat on his porch."
The word coffee entered English via Dutch koffie and Italian caffè, tracing its roots back to Ottoman Turkish kahve and ultimately Arabic qahwa. It shares this lineage with similar terms in many other European languages.