Theobroma
/ˌθiː.oʊˈbroʊ.mə/noun
A genus of tropical trees in the cacao family, including the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao.
Did you know?Carl Linnaeus named the cacao genus Theobroma in 1753, drawing on the long-standing sacred status of cacao in Mesoamerican ceremony and elite culture.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰeh₁- / *dʰesós
“A debated Indo-European religious root associated with divinity or a sacred being”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θεός (theós)
“God or deity”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷerh₁-
“To swallow or eat; the proposed root behind Greek words for consuming food”
Ancient Greek
Greek
βρῶμα (brôma)
“Food or something eaten”
1753
Neo-Latin
Theobroma
““Food of the gods,” coined by Carl Linnaeus as the botanical genus name for cacao relatives”
Modern English
English
theobroma
“The botanical genus containing cacao and related tropical trees”