Meaning & use
Ceylon tea
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
Tea grown in Sri Lanka, especially the black tea known for its strong, brisk flavor.
Grammar: Uncountable, so you say 'some Ceylon tea' or 'a cup of Ceylon tea', not 'a Ceylon tea' unless you mean a cup or a type.
Patterns
- Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka
- a cup of Ceylon tea
- Ceylon black tea
She bought a tin of Ceylon tea while traveling in Colombo.
This Ceylon tea has a bright, brisk taste that goes well with milk.
The café serves Ceylon tea alongside its coffee.
Common combinations
- a cup of Ceylon tea
- He ordered a cup of Ceylon tea after lunch.
- Ceylon black tea
- Ceylon black tea is often blended for English breakfast tea.
- Ceylon tea estate
- The Ceylon tea estate employs hundreds of workers.
- loose-leaf Ceylon tea
- Loose-leaf Ceylon tea needs a strainer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Sri Lankan tea
- A more modern, descriptive name for the same product; Ceylon tea is the traditional trade name.
Commonly confused: Ceylon tea or Ceylon cinnamon?
Ceylon tea vs Ceylon cinnamon
Ceylon cinnamon is a type of cinnamon from Sri Lanka, not tea; both share the place name but are different products.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'Ceylon tea' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Ceylon tea' is uncountable, so 'a cup of Ceylon tea' is correct. 'A Ceylon tea' sounds like one specific tea bag or type, which is unusual unless you mean a serving or variety.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Ceylon tea”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.