tea

tea

noun \ˈtē\

Definition of TEA

1

a : a shrub (Camellia sinensis of the family Theaceae, the tea family) cultivated especially in China, Japan, and the East Indies

b : the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the tea plant prepared and cured for the market, classed according to method of manufacture into one set of types (as green tea, black tea, or oolong), and graded according to leaf size into another (as orange pekoe, pekoe, or souchong)

2

: an aromatic beverage prepared from tea leaves by infusion with boiling water

3

a : any of various plants somewhat resembling tea in properties; also : an infusion of their leaves used medicinally or as a beverage

b : tea rose

4

a : refreshments usually including tea with sandwiches, crackers, or cookies served in late afternoon

b : a reception, snack, or meal at which tea is served

5

slang : marijuana

— tea·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

Examples of TEA

1. Let's meet for tea tomorrow.
2. That shop does a great afternoon tea.

Illustration of TEA

Origin of TEA

Chinese (Xiamen) dé

First Known Use: circa 1655

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

Rhymes with TEA

b, be, bee, c, cay, cee, Cree, d, dee, Dee, dree, e, fee, flea, flee, free, g, gee, ghee, glee, gree, he, key, Key, knee, lea, lee, me, mi, p, pea, pee, plea, pree, quay, re, Rhee, scree, sea, see, she, si, ski, spree, sri, t, tee, the, thee, three, ti, tree, twee, Twi, v, vee, we, wee, whee, ye, z, zee

tea

noun \ˈtē\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of TEA

1

a : a shrub (Camellia sinensis of the family Theaceae, the tea family) cultivated especially in China, Japan, and the East Indies b : the prepared and cured leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the tea plant

2

: a mildly stimulating aromatic beverage prepared from tea leaves by infusion with boiling water

3

: any of various plants resembling tea in properties; also : an infusion of their leaves used medicinally or as a beverage

tea

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Beverage produced by steeping in freshly boiled water the young leaves and leaf buds of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, a member of the family Theaceae, which contains 40 genera of trees and shrubs. Tea cultivation is first documented in China in AD 350; according to legend, it had been known there since c. 2700 BC. It was established in Japan by the 13th century and was spread to Java by the Dutch and to India by the English in the 19th century. Today tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world, drunk (either hot or cold) by half the world's population. Major tea types are classified by processing method: fermented, or black, tea produces an amber-colored, full-flavored beverage without bitterness; semifermented, or oolong, tea yields a slightly bitter, light brownish-green liquid; and unfermented, or green, tea, results in a mild, slightly bitter, pale greenish-yellow beverage. Caffeine is responsible for tea's stimulating effect. Green tea, long regarded as healthful in the Far East, has in recent years attracted much favorable attention in the West for a wide range of possible beneficial effects. Infusions and decoctions of the leaves, bark, and roots of many other, unrelated plants are commonly drunk as herbal or medicinal teas.