matcha

noun

ˈmä-chə 

ˈma-

plural matchas

: a green powder made from ground green tea leaves that is used to make tea and other beverages and as a flavoring agent

Our meal began with matcha, the traditional green tea of the tea ceremony. The powder is spooned into a ceramic bowl, hot water added and the mixture whisked to a frothy jade.

—Alan Brown

Walk into a coffee shop or peruse Instagram and you're sure to have seen a matcha latte.

—Alysha Witwicki

also : tea made from matcha

At the time, he often experienced midafternoon malaise and began drinking hot matcha on his brother's recommendation.

—Jill Radsken

Examples of matcha in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Matcha Overnight Oats Oats and a matcha latte make a wonderful breakfast pairing, but this recipe goes one step further to combine them into matcha overnight oats, an effortless breakfast that will delight lovers of efficiency and morning matcha. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2025

Heikens favors the bumblebee version and uses them for iced coffee or matcha drinks. —Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025

French pastry chef Yann Couvreur, whose patisserie is located a few blocks away in Wynwood, has created a dessert menu of French-Japanese desserts like a mango, coconut and passion fruit cake and black sesame ice cream topped with matcha and served with Liger’s chocolate chip cookie. —Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025

Reaction on Yelp includes many guests having matcha gelato for the first time. —Gary Stern, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese, from mat-, form in compounding of matsu "to rub, daub, paint" + cha "tea"

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above