sea coconut; coco de mer; double coconut
Refers to the palm species Lodoicea maldivica, known for its large seeds. The term is a botanical name; in everyday Japanese it is a specific, uncommon word.
The sea coconut is a rare type of palm native to the Seychelles.
I saw a huge coco de mer fruit at the botanical garden.
Usually written in katakana. This is the most common practical spelling.
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly found in botanical or older texts. Learners will almost always encounter the katakana form.
The Japanese name オオミヤシ literally means 'large-fruit palm'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a straightforward descriptive compound.