Meanings
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA cloth, made from cotton or linen, for drying dishes and glassware.
More synonyms by meaning
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From tea + towel. Attested from the middle 19th century. Compare earlier tea-cloth from the late 18th century.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
tea towel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tea%20towel
MLA
“tea towel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tea%20towel. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tea towel,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tea%20towel.
Source: tea towel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.