Synonyms

tea ball

American

noun

a small ball of perforated metal or other material in which tea leaves are placed to be immersed in hot water to make tea.

tea ball British

noun

a perforated metal ball filled with tea leaves and put in boiling water to make tea

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tea ball

First recorded in 1900–05

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:

tea ball

Strain the thyme out unless you use a tea ball.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 20, 2024

Pour the contents of the simmered pot, including the tea ball, into the mixture of cold water and soy sauce.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2021

Add tea ball to the pot, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2021

"Somebody throw another tea ball in that poor guy's tea," bellowed Gleason.

From Time Magazine Archive

Half fill a perforated tea spoon or tea ball with Orange Pekoe, or other preferred tea.

From For Luncheon and Supper Guests by Alice Bradley

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023