high tea

UK/ˌhʌɪ ˈtiː/

noun

A late afternoon or early evening meal, typically consisting of a cooked dish with bread and butter and tea.

First used 18th c.
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Meanings

nounhigh tea (countable and uncountable, plural high teas)

plural high teas

  1. AustraliaNew ZealandUKcountableuncountableA late afternoon or early evening meal, typically consisting of a cooked dish with bread and butter and tea.First known use 18th c.

    It was brawn and shape for high tea.

    1978, Jane Gardam, God on the Rocks, Abacus, published 2014, page 111
  2. UScountableuncountableFormal afternoon tea.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
afternoon tea
Cite this entry
APA

high tea. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high%20tea

MLA

“high tea.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high%20tea. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “high tea,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high%20tea.

Source: high tea on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.