oolong

American  

[oo-lawng, -long] / ˈuˌlɔŋ, -ˌlɒŋ /

noun

1. a brown or amber tea grown in China and Taiwan and partially fermented before being dried.

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oolong British  

/ ˈuːˌlɒŋ /

noun

1. a kind of dark tea, grown in China, that is partly fermented before being dried

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Etymology

Origin of oolong

First recorded in 1850–55, oolong is from the Chinese word wúlóng literally, black dragon, or < a cognate dial. form

Compare meaning

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

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

Example Sentences

While green tea has been studied extensively, much less is known about the health effects of other varieties, including black, oolong, and white tea, particularly when comparing their benefits.

From Science Daily • Jan. 28, 2026

Take the Yuanyang Martini, an espresso martini with black sesame and black tea or Red Robe, featuring cognac, bourbon, oolong tea and white miso.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2025

“About 84% of all tea consumed was black tea, 15% was green tea, and the small remaining amount was oolong, white and dark tea.”

From Salon • May 9, 2025

Today, the KMT’s descendants graciously welcome China’s fun-seeking tourists, sheltering them in cozy, Chinese-themed hotels and plying them with locally grown, fermented oolong tea.

From Washington Times • Apr. 28, 2023

This  tea is strong oolong and has milk in it, with two lumps of sugar for you to put in yourself.

From Letters from China and Japan by Dewey, John