A genus of sterculiaceous trees, natives of tropical Africa, esp. Guinea, but now naturalized in tropical America, esp. in the West Indies and Brazil. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
a dark-colored carbonated soft drink flavored with extract of the cola nut, and often colored with caramel; also, any soft drink similar in color and flavor to a cola-flavored drink. The name was predominantly derived from the popular soft drink Coca-Cola. [PJC]
cola, n. (also kola)
1 any small tree of the genus Cola, native to W. Africa, bearing seeds containing caffeine.
2 a carbonated drink usu. flavoured with these seeds.
Idiom
cola nut a seed of the tree.
Etymology
W.Afr.
Also see definition of "cola" in Bible Study Dictionaries