What is "shea butter"

n. A slightly yellowish or ivory-colored natural fat extracted from fruit of the shea tree by crushing and boiling, widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer and an emollient, as a cooking oil in (w: West Africa), and sometimes used in the (w: chocolate industry) as a substitute for cocoa butter.

Shea butter (, , or ) is an off-white or ivory-colored fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa). Shea butter is a triglyceride (fat) derived mainly from stearic acid and oleic acid. It is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion. Shea butter is edible and is used in food preparation in Africa. Occasionally, the chocolate industry uses shea butter mixed with other oils as a substitute for cocoa butter, although the taste is noticeably different.

The English word "shea" comes from s’í, the tree's name in the Bambara language of Mali. It is known by many local names, e.g., karité in the Wolof language of Senegal, ori in some parts of West Africa, and many others.