caffeineEnglishOxford New American Dictionarycaffeine /kaˈfēn, , kæˈfin , ˈkafˌēn, ˈkæfˌin / ▸ noun a crystalline compound that is found especially in tea and coffee plants and is a stimulant of the central nervous system. An alkaloid, 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine; chemical formula: C8H10N4O2. – ORIGIN mid 19th century : from French caféine, from café ‘coffee’.