coke

coke — noun

1. an informal short form of 'Coca-Cola', a popular dark-coloured, sweet, carbonate

1.nounA2
Definition

an informal short form of 'Coca-Cola', a popular dark-coloured, sweet, carbonated soft drink; can refer to a single serving (a glass, can, or bottle) or the drink in general.

Example

Leila ordered a large coke with ice to go with her burger and fries.

countable: a serving of the drink

Theo grabbed two cans of cold coke from the fridge for his thirsty friends.

Common collocations
  • a can of coke
  • a bottle of coke
  • a glass of coke
  • drink coke
  • order a coke
  • ice and coke
Synonyms
  • Coca-Cola

    the full, official trademarked name; used in formal writing and product labelling

  • cola

    the generic category of carbonated soft drinks flavoured with cola nut extract; includes many brands beyond Coca-Cola

  • soda

    a general American term for any carbonated soft drink; regional usage varies

Grammar Patterns

countable noun — a glass/can/bottle of the drink; uncountable — the drink in general

Usage Note

This is an informal abbreviation of the trademarked brand name 'Coca-Cola'. In the southern United States, 'coke' is often used as a generic word for any cola drink. In other regions, it usually refers specifically to the Coca-Cola brand.

Common Mistakes

I ordered a Cola in the restaurant and the waiter gave me Pepsi.
I ordered a coke in the restaurant and the waiter gave me Pepsi.
In casual US English, 'coke' is often the default word people use when ordering, even if another brand is served. But in formal menus, 'cola' is the generic category.

2. a slang term for cocaine, an illegal, highly addictive drug made from coca leave

2.nounB2
Definition

a slang term for cocaine, an illegal, highly addictive drug made from coca leaves; used in informal speech and in crime-related news reporting.

Example

Police found a bag they believed contained coke inside a stolen van.

slang term for cocaine in news context

The documentary warned viewers how quickly a person can become addicted to coke.

Common collocations
  • coke addiction
  • sell coke
  • use coke
  • bag of coke
  • coke dealer
Synonyms
  • cocaine

    the full, formal name of the drug; used in medical, legal, and official contexts

  • crack

    a different, smokable form of cocaine that is even more addictive

Grammar Patterns

uncountable noun — no plural form

Usage Note

This is a slang term used in informal speech and media reporting. In formal writing, official documents, or medical contexts, the full term 'cocaine' is always preferred.

Common Mistakes

The doctor prescribed coke for my surgery.
The doctor prescribed cocaine as a local anaesthetic for my surgery.
Medical writers use the full term 'cocaine', never the slang term 'coke'.

3. a hard, greyish-black solid fuel produced by heating coal in a closed container

3.nounB2
Definition

a hard, greyish-black solid fuel produced by heating coal in a closed container to remove gas and tar; used mainly in steelmaking and industrial heating.

Example

The steel mill burns coke to melt iron ore in its giant furnaces.

uncountable; used in steel production

Workers loaded heavy bags of coke onto the back of the truck.

Common collocations
  • bag of coke
  • pile of coke
  • burn coke
  • produce coke
  • coke oven
Synonyms
  • coal

    the unprocessed natural fuel that coke is made from; coal is used more widely in homes and power plants

  • charcoal

    a different solid fuel made from wood, used for cooking and barbecues

Grammar Patterns

uncountable noun — no plural form

Usage Note

In everyday conversation, 'coal' is far more common than 'coke' as a heating fuel. Coke is used mainly in large industrial processes such as steel production.

Common Mistakes

I put some coke in my fireplace to warm the house.
I put some coal in my fireplace to warm the house.
'Coke' is an industrial fuel; households normally burn coal or wood.

Word family

  • coking
    nounC1
  • coker
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to carbonated soft drinks, but they differ in specificity and region. 'Coca-Cola' is the full official trademark; you see it on labels and in formal menus. 'Coke' is the informal clipping used in everyday speech — practically everyone in the US says 'coke' when ordering at a diner. 'Cola' is the generic name for the drink category (Pepsi, RC Cola, or store brands are all colas). 'Soda' is an even broader American term covering any carbonated drink, including lemon-lime or orange flavours. In the southern US, 'coke' is often used as a generic term for any soda. For example, in Texas someone might say 'I'll have a coke' and when asked 'What kind?' they answer 'Dr Pepper.'

coke ↗Coca-Colacola ↗soda ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

The fuel sense of 'coke' comes from the Old English word 'col' (coal). By the 1600s, it referred specifically to coal that had been heated to remove impurities. The slang sense for cocaine appeared in the early 1900s as a clipped form of 'cocaine'. The beverage sense is a shortening of 'Coca-Cola', first used informally in the early 1900s as the drink gained worldwide popularity.