from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Cola \Co"la\, n. [NL., fr. a native name.] (Bot.)
(a)
1. A genus of sterculiaceous trees, natives of tropical
Africa, esp. Guinea, but now naturalized in tropical
America, esp. in the West Indies and Brazil.
(b) Same as {Cola nut}, below.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2. 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]