TEA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tea mean? 

• TEA (noun)
  The noun TEA has 5 senses:

1. a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

2. a light midafternoon meal of tea and sandwiches or cakes

3. a tropical evergreen shrub or small tree extensively cultivated in e.g. China and Japan and India; source of tea leaves

4. a reception or party at which tea is served

5. dried leaves of the tea shrub; used to make tea

  Familiarity information: TEA used as a noun is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TEA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Context example:

iced tea is a cooling drink

Hypernyms ("tea" is a kind of...):

beverage; drink; drinkable; potable (any liquid suitable for drinking)

Meronyms (substance of "tea"):

tea; tea leaf (dried leaves of the tea shrub; used to make tea)

caffein; caffeine (a bitter alkaloid found in coffee and tea that is responsible for their stimulating effects)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tea"):

cambric tea (a beverage for children containing hot water and milk and sugar and a small amount of tea)

cuppa; cupper (a cup of tea)

herb tea; herbal; herbal tea (tea-like drink made of leaves of various herbs)

ice tea; iced tea (strong tea served over ice)

sun tea (tea made by exposing tea leaves steeped in water to the direct rays of the sun; usually served with ice)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A light midafternoon meal of tea and sandwiches or cakes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

afternoon tea; tea; teatime

Context example:

an Englishman would interrupt a war to have his afternoon tea

Hypernyms ("tea" is a kind of...):

meal; repast (the food served and eaten at one time)

Domain region:

Britain; Great Britain; U.K.; UK; United Kingdom; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; 'Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A tropical evergreen shrub or small tree extensively cultivated in e.g. China and Japan and India; source of tea leaves

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Camellia sinensis; tea

Context example:

tea has fragrant white flowers

Hypernyms ("tea" is a kind of...):

bush; shrub (a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems)

Meronyms (parts of "tea"):

tea; tea leaf (dried leaves of the tea shrub; used to make tea)

Holonyms ("tea" is a member of...):

genus Camellia (tropical Asiatic evergreen shrubs or small trees)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A reception or party at which tea is served

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

we met at the Dean's tea for newcomers

Hypernyms ("tea" is a kind of...):

reception (a formal party of people; as after a wedding)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Dried leaves of the tea shrub; used to make tea

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

tea; tea leaf

Context example:

they threw the tea into Boston harbor

Hypernyms ("tea" is a kind of...):

herb (aromatic potherb used in cookery for its savory qualities)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tea"):

tea bag (a measured amount of tea in a bag for an individual serving of tea)

black tea (fermented tea leaves)

green tea (tea leaves that have been steamed and dried without fermenting)

oolong (Chinese tea leaves that have been partially fermented before being dried)

Holonyms ("tea" is a part of...):

Camellia sinensis; tea (a tropical evergreen shrub or small tree extensively cultivated in e.g. China and Japan and India; source of tea leaves)

Holonyms ("tea" is a substance of...):

tea (a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water)

 Context examples 

Then, we had more tasks until tea, which Mr. Mell drank out of a blue teacup, and I out of a tin pot.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Mr. Elton was called out of the room before tea, old John Abdy's son wanted to speak with him.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

A substance found in green tea.

(EGCG, NCI Dictionary)

The dried flowers are used in teas to calm and relax, to improve sleep, and to help with stomach problems.

(English chamomile, NCI Dictionary)

That is Mr. Soames’ tea time.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It came just as we had finished our tea.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There's the tea bell, I must run and change my cap.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Agnes and Catherine Johnstone were invited to take tea with some friends at Lowton last Thursday, and I gave them leave to put on clean tuckers for the occasion.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

In a new study from Uppsala University, researchers showed that tea consumption in women leads to epigenetic changes in genes that are known to interact with cancer and estrogen metabolism.

(Tea Consumption: Epigenetic Changes in Women, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Mr. Tilney drank tea with us, and I always thought him a great addition, he is so very agreeable.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)