cola: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “cola” mean?
A carbonated soft drink, typically brown, sweet, and containing caffeine.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A carbonated soft drink, typically brown, sweet, and containing caffeine.
1. Any of several tropical African trees, especially the kola tree, whose nuts contain caffeine. 2. The carbonated beverage brand Coca-Cola or its generic counterparts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use the term identically for the drink. The tree/nut sense is rare in general usage but might appear more in botanical or historical contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, strongly associated with American culture and fast food. Can have negative health connotations (sugar, caffeine).
Frequency
Very high frequency in both. Slightly more generic use in AmE (e.g., 'a cola' for any brown soda). In BrE, 'Coke' is also very common as a generic term.
Grammar
How to Use “cola” in a Sentence
have a colaorder a colaprefer cola to [other drink]be made by Cola Co.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cola” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- He preferred the cola flavour over lemonade.
American English
- She ordered a cola beverage with her burger.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to the beverage industry, marketing, and global brands (e.g., 'The cola market is highly competitive').
Academic
Appears in studies of nutrition, marketing, or globalisation (e.g., 'The cultural impact of cola advertising').
Everyday
Common in restaurants, shops, and social settings (e.g., 'I'll have a pizza and a cola, please').
Technical
In food science for ingredients like caramel colouring and phosphoric acid.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cola”
- Using 'a cola' as an uncountable noun (e.g., 'I drink cola' is fine; 'I drink a cola' means a serving). Confusing 'Cola' (drink) with 'kola' (tree/nut) in spelling.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. Uncountable when referring to the substance ('I don't drink cola'). Countable when referring to a serving or type ('Two colas, please', 'different colas').
'Cola' is the general category of brown, caffeinated soft drinks. 'Coke' is short for Coca-Cola, a specific brand. 'Pepsi' is another major brand. In many regions, 'Coke' is used generically (like 'hoover' for vacuum cleaner).
It originates from the kola (or cola) tree (genus *Cola*), native to Africa. The nut of this tree, high in caffeine, was originally used as a flavouring in the beverage.
No, it's a common compound noun using 'cola'. The meaning is simply a cola drink made with artificial sweeteners instead of sugar.
A carbonated soft drink, typically brown, sweet, and containing caffeine.
Cola is usually neutral in register.
Cola: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkəʊlə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkoʊlə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Could use a cola break”
- “The real cola wars”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
"COLA" sounds like "COLD" - think of a cold, refreshing cola drink.
Conceptual Metaphor
COLA IS A STIMULANT (e.g., 'fuel for all-nighters'), COLA IS AMERICAN CULTURE.
Practice
Quiz
In a botanical context, what is a 'cola'?