tea
tea
UK[tiː]US[tiː]
n
A hot drink made by pouring boiling water onto the dried and shredded leaves of an Asian bush.
n
The dried leaves used to make the drink tea.
n
A light afternoon meal consisting of tea to drink and small items of food to eat.
Etymology
The word 'tea' entered the English language in the 17th century via Dutch traders, who acquired it from the Min Chinese dialect of Xiamen (Amoy). The Mandarin Chinese word 'chá' took a different route into other European languages (e.g., Russian 'чай', Portuguese 'chá'), reflecting earlier overland trade. The English term 'tea' thus directly preserves the phonetic character of the maritime trade dialect. Its meaning expanded from the specific plant to encompass the beverage, the leaves themselves, and, by social custom in Britain, the name of a light afternoon meal centered around drinking the beverage.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword. It originates from the Min Chinese (Xiamen dialect) word 'tê', which referred to the plant and its leaves.
Examples
Would you like a cup of tea?
This shop sells a wide variety of green and black teas.
We met for tea and cakes at four o'clock.