black tea

American  

noun

black teas plural

1. a tea that has been allowed to wither and ferment under controlled conditions before being subjected to a heating process that stops fermentation and turns the leaves black.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• black teas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of black tea

First recorded in 1780–90

Compare meaning

How does black-tea compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• black tea vs. green tea
• oolong vs. black tea

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

black tea

They don’t have coffee, but they do have Jeju Island–grown “Regenerative Organic-Certified” black tea oxidized as matcha.

From Slate ● May 8, 2026

The Taiwanese beverage, which blends black tea, milk, sugar, and chewy tapioca pearls, has spread worldwide since it first appeared in the 1980s.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 1, 2026

A rollback of tariffs on coffee and other products like green and black tea should help the company.

From Barron's ● Nov. 15, 2025

She also suggested making an Arnold Palmer by adding black tea for a hint of bitterness and aroma.

From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2025

Miss Spink peered shortsightedly at the black tea leaves in the bottom.

From "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman