tea meaning and definition

TEA noun

Definition of tea (noun)

1. a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
   • "iced tea is a cooling drink"
2. a light midafternoon meal of tea and sandwiches or cakes
   • "an Englishman would interrupt a war to have his afternoon tea"
   • synonyms: afternoon tea, teatime
3. a tropical evergreen shrub or small tree extensively cultivated in e.g. China and Japan and India; source of tea leaves
   • "tea has fragrant white flowers"
   • synonyms: Camellia sinensis
4. a reception or party at which tea is served
   • "we met at the Dean's tea for newcomers"
5. dried leaves of the tea shrub; used to make tea
   • "the store shelves held many different kinds of tea"; "they threw the tea into Boston harbor"
   • synonyms: tea leaf