green tea
nounEtymology Calque of Chinese 綠茶 /绿茶 (lǜchá).
1
Leaves of the tea plant which are treated with steam or roasted to denature the enzymes that cause the leaves to darken and change taste. (Without this step they would become oolong tea or black tea).
- ...paper by Mr. Warrington, on the analysis of tea, in which he states that he has has not only removed the whole of the coloring matter, or glazing, from green tea, but he has been able to analyze the matter removed....1847, editorial staff, “Chemical Analysis of Tea”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 3, Issue 10, page 80:
2
A beverage brewed from green tea leaves.
- Derived terms
- green tea cake