tea
the dried and prepared leaves of a shrub, Camellia sinensis, from which a somewhat bitter, aromatic beverage is prepared by infusion in hot water.
the shrub itself, extensively cultivated in China, Japan, India, etc., and having fragrant white flowers.: Compare tea family.
the beverage so prepared, served hot or iced.
any kind of leaves, flowers, etc., so used, or any plant yielding them.
any of various infusions prepared from the leaves, flowers, etc., of other plants, and used as beverages or medicines.
British. any meal, whether a light snack or one consisting of several courses, eaten in the late afternoon or in the evening; any meal other than dinner, eaten after the middle of the afternoon.
an afternoon reception at which tea is served.
Slang. marijuana.
Idioms about tea
one's cup of tea, something suitable, appropriate, or attractive to one: Horror movies and westerns are just not my cup of tea.
spill the tea, Slang. to reveal interesting or confidential information; share gossip: In this exclusive clip, the famous actor spills the tea on who gets offered the best roles first.
Origin of tea
1Other words from tea
- tea·less, adjective
Words that may be confused with tea
- tea , tee
Words Nearby tea
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use tea in a sentence
Terroir labels are also becoming more common for products like coffee, tea and craft beer, says Miguel Gómez, an economist at Cornell University who studies food marketing and distribution.
How does a crop’s environment shape a food’s smell and taste? | Carolyn Beans | September 10, 2020 | Science NewsI happen to like watching Doctor Who, but if that’s not your cup of tea, that’s fine with me.
The Universe Knows Right from Wrong - Issue 89: The Dark Side | Philip Goff | September 9, 2020 | NautilusFor all its economic and diplomatic might, though, China has its vulnerabilities — even with tea.
More recently, though, China has decided to upscale its tea outreach.
His team claimed he had ingested poison, probably through some tea he had drunk.
Trump has long wanted to kill a Russia-Germany natural gas pipeline. Navalny’s poisoning could do it for him | David Meyer | September 8, 2020 | Fortune
The smell of grilled meat mixes with the exotic wafts of cinnamon tea served with a mush of sweet brown dessert.
The Photographer Who Gave Up Manhattan for Marrakech | Liza Foreman | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTA year before he had similarly arrived with news of the Boston tea Party.
Senseless bureaucracy is part of what spawned the tea Party.
“I happened upon yak butter tea, a traditional high-energy food eaten by Tibetans,” Asprey says.
Bulletproof Coffee and the Case for Butter as a Health Food | DailyBurn | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAdults prepare food and drink dark sweet tea on the doorsteps of their homes as they watch their children playing.
Being quieted by the Captain with a draught of cold tea, and made to sit down, the examination of the book proceeded.
The Giant of the North | R.M. BallantyneAfterwards we saw you once or twice at tea at the Ritz, and you took off your hat, so you must have remembered then.
Rosemary in Search of a Father | C. N. WilliamsonJanet might have said before leaving: "tea had better not wait too long--Hilda has to be down at Clayhanger's at half-past six."
Hilda Lessways | Arnold BennettThe tea was all laid on tables in the garden, and the sausages were cooking over a fire made on the grounds.
Music-Study in Germany | Amy FayA trim maid then brought in the tea equipage, and Georgie did the honours with her usual unaffected grace.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James Wills
British Dictionary definitions for tea
/ (tiː) /
an evergreen shrub or small tree, Camellia sinensis, of tropical and subtropical Asia, having toothed leathery leaves and white fragrant flowers: family Theaceae
the dried shredded leaves of this shrub, used to make a beverage by infusion in boiling water
such a beverage, served hot or iced
(as modifier): tea caddy; tea urn
any of various plants that are similar to Camellia sinensis or are used to make a tealike beverage
any such beverage
mainly British
Also called: afternoon tea a light meal eaten in mid-afternoon, usually consisting of tea and cakes, biscuits, or sandwiches
(as modifier): a tea party
Also called: high tea afternoon tea that also includes a light cooked dish
British, Australian and NZ the main evening meal
US and Canadian old-fashioned, slang marijuana
tea and sympathy informal a caring attitude, esp to someone in trouble
Origin of tea
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with tea
see cup of tea; not for all the tea in china; tempest in a teapot.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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