Definition of tea

The origin of the word "tea" is attributed to the Chinese character "" (chá), which refers to the plant Camellia sinensis. The word was introduced to Europe in the 17th century by the Portuguese, who arrived in China in the 16th century. They adapted the Chinese word to "terra" and then changed it to "te", which was later adopted into English. The earliest written record of the word "tea" in English dates back to 1615, in a letter written by an English merchant named Ralph Crockett, who described a type of Chinese drink that was popular in Macau. From there, the word spread rapidly throughout Europe, and by the early 18th century, tea had become a staple in English society. Today, the word "tea" is widely used in many languages, referring to both the beverage and the plant it's derived from.