red tea

noun

A tisane (herbal tea) beverage made from various bush plants native to southern Africa, especially rooibos or honeybush.

OriginChinese 紅茶 /红茶 →
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Meanings

nounred tea (countable and uncountable, plural red teas)

plural red teas

  1. countableuncountableA tisane (herbal tea) beverage made from various bush plants native to southern Africa, especially rooibos or honeybush.
  2. countableuncountableBlack tea.

Origin

  1. Chinese紅茶 /红茶
  2. Englishred tea

The “black tea” sense is a calque of Chinese 紅茶 /红茶 (hóngchá, literally “red tea”).

More words from Chinese

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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