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

Pitchside Coffee serves a variety of espresso drinks, drip coffee, iced teas, matcha and more. — Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2026

These younger customers have also recently fueled interest for a variety of different types of drinks as evidenced by the recent spike in demand for drinks which include protein and matcha. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026

There’s also the Matcha Point, a simple matcha made with protein milk and sweetened with French Vanilla flavors. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2026

This year, McDonald's introduced a new line of caramel apple pie coffees, while Dunkin' is offering matcha and tiramisu beverages. — Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Sep. 2026

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