coco de mer
/ˌkəʊkəʊdəˈmɛː
/noun
1A tall palm tree native to the Seychelles. Also called double coconut.
- Lodoicea maldivica, family Palmae.
- As we weave among almond trees and coco de mers, our driver tells us that some guests never leave their cottages.
- The huge seed of the coco de mer is unique to the Seychelles islands in the western Indian Ocean.
1.1The immense nut of the coco de mer tree, which is encased in a hard woody shell and is the largest known seed.She says that she recognised the spiritual and sexual significance of the coco de mer nut, which is seen as a potent and particularly feminine symbol of fertility.
Origin
Early 19th century: from French coco-de-mer, literally 'coco from the sea' (because the tree was first known from nuts found floating in the sea).