n.
Pronunciation: r ō - ' b ə s-t ə
Function: noun
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: New Latin robusta, specific epithet of Coffea robusta, syn. of Coffea canephora
Date: 1909
1 : a hardy shrub or tree ( Coffea canephora ) that is indigenous to central Africa but has been introduced elsewhere (as in Java) and yields seeds that form a usually lower quality coffee of commerce than that of arabica
2 : the seeds of robusta especially roasted and often ground