Phrase guide

afternoon tea

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A formal afternoon meal comprising light snacks, accompanied by tea.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A small meal or snack eaten between lunch and dinner (supper); a period of time set aside for this purpose, taken as a break from work or from a conference.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, Hong-Kong, New-Zealand, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a light midafternoon meal of tea and sandwiches or cakes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an Englishman would interrupt a war to have his afternoon tea

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tea, teatime

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: meal, repast

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 下午茶 (haa6 ng5 caa4) — formal afternoon meal
  • Chinese Mandarin: 下午茶 (xiàwǔchá) — formal afternoon meal
  • Finnish: iltapäivätee — formal afternoon meal
  • French: collation — formal afternoon meal
  • Hungarian: uzsonna — formal afternoon meal
  • Irish: tae beag — formal afternoon meal
  • Japanese: アフタヌーンティー (afutanūn tī) — formal afternoon meal
  • Korean: 애프터눈 티 (aepeuteonun ti) — formal afternoon meal
  • Malay: minum petang — formal afternoon meal
  • Polish: podwieczorek — formal afternoon meal
  • Portuguese: chá das cinco — formal afternoon meal
  • Portuguese: chá da tarde — formal afternoon meal
  • Turkish: ikindi çayı — formal afternoon meal
  • Chinese Cantonese: 下午茶 (haa6 ng5 caa4) — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Chinese Mandarin: 下午茶 (xiàwǔchá) — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Danish: aftenkaffe — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Dutch: vieruurtje — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Finnish: iltapäivätee — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • French: goûter — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Hebrew: תֵּה מִנְחָה (te minḥá) — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Hungarian: uzsonna — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Irish: tae beag — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Japanese: アフタヌーンティー (afutanūn tī) — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Korean: 애프터눈 티 (aepeuteonun ti) — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Latvian: launags — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Māori: paramanawa — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Polish: podwieczorek — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Portuguese: chá da tarde — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon
  • Tagalog: meryenda — light meal or snack taken in the mid to late afternoon