tea service

American  

noun

1. a set of chinaware for preparing and drinking hot beverages, especially tea.

2. a set of silver or other metalware for preparing and serving hot beverages, especially tea.

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tea service British  

noun

1. the china or pottery articles used in serving tea, including a teapot, cups, saucers, etc

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Etymology

Origin of tea service

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

By the time it reached final inspection it had acquired a cloak of ruby-red metallic paint, diamond-white LED headlamps and a mouthful of metal grillework as bright as a tea service.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

L.A.-based public arts nonprofit Active Cultures hosted a traditional Chinese tea service and cooked mushrooms in a ground oven for a community barbecue with artists Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodriguez and Shanhuan Manton.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2025

Kim gave Putin a traditional Korean sword, while the Russian leader gave Kim a sabre and a tea service suitable for use on his armoured train.

From Reuters • Sep. 11, 2023

Perhaps what appear to be stiff formalities of the traditional English tea service are actually rules enforced for everyone’s safety.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 22, 2023

I glanced nervously at our own house, with no rugs or tea service, but how much did that matter?

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver