tapioca

noun

tap·​i·​o·​ca ˌta-pē-ˈō-kə How to pronounce tapioca (audio)
1
: a usually granular preparation of cassava starch used especially in puddings and as a thickening in liquid food
also : a dish (such as pudding) containing tapioca
2
: cassava

Examples of tapioca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, many manufacturers use high-carb alternatives to wheat flour, such as tapioca starch or rice flour. — Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 1 Sep. 2026 Dates and tapioca syrup do all the sweetening, which lands it at a Goldilocks level of sweet with no refined sugar. — Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 The opening menu is set to feature various inventive dishes, such as Spicy Tuna Dip (made with sesame and avocado served with nori tapioca chips) and Heritage Half Chicken (served with sansho pepper, pickled daikon and a shiso return). — Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 None have traditional sugar – except for natural honey in the excellent honeycomb flavor — using instead monk-fruit sweetener or allulose from tapioca root. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tapioca

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese, from Tupi tɨpɨʔóka

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tapioca was in 1707

Rhymes for tapioca

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Browse Nearby Words

tap into
tapioca
tapioca fish
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Cite this Entry

“Tapioca.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tapioca. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tapioca

noun
tap·​i·​o·​ca ˌtap-ē-ˈō-kə How to pronounce tapioca (audio)
: grains or flakes of starch from the cassava root that are used especially in puddings and as a thickening in liquid foods
also : a food (as pudding) that contains tapioca

More from Merriam-Webster on tapioca

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tapioca

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