noun
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a cup out of which tea may be drunk, larger than a coffee cup
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Also called: teacupful. the amount a teacup will hold, about four fluid ounces
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of teacup
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The general reaction to the policy has been overwhelmingly positive, Xue said, aside from some remarks on social media that charging for a smashed teacup was a petty move.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
OK, the fact that Jennifer Coolidge steals the show also helps, as does the stunning cuteness of Buster the teacup chihuahua, along with the evergreen pizazz of the bend-and-snap sequence.
From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2026
“When people say, ‘Oh, it’s a teacup pig,’ I’m like, ‘That is not a thing. That does not exist,’” said Lynsey Rosen, a veterinarian in Southern California who treats dozens of mini pigs each month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026
The row was dismissed earlier this week by Vowles - a Mercedes customer - as "noise that will probably go away", and by Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff as "a storm in a teacup".
From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026
I add a dainty flowered teacup and some English digestive biscuits to the breakfast tray so Mom can have tea in bed.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
An image published on social media by Iranian embassies abroad put Ghalibaf centre stage in the Iranian negotiating team, looking animated and gesturing with his hand, as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi busied himself with teacups.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
Unassuming from the outside, the shop opens into a huge ark of mortar-crusted brick and ribcage-like beams, with long dining tables displaying shapely vases, pitchers, teacups and plates in shades of apricot, amber and malachite.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
If two of those incidents are little more than storms in teacups, one is anything but.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2025
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Russell turned to painting teacups, giant detailed renderings of traditional, hand-painted, German porcelain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2023
Thankfully, Mamma returned then, arms trembling from holding a heavy silver tray laden with a teapot, teacups, and cookies and plates.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
