Tea Tree
/ˈtiː ˌtriː/noun
A shrub or small tree, especially Melaleuca alternifolia, whose leaves yield a fragrant essential oil.
Did you know?Captain James Cook’s crew called several Australian plants “tea trees” after using their leaves to make a tea-like drink, even though they are unrelated to the true tea plant.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deh₂ru
“Tree or wood; also associated with firmness and steadfastness”
Old English
Old English
tēah
“Tea, borrowed through trade from East Asian terms”
Old English
Old English
trēow
“Tree, literally a woody plant; related to ideas of firmness”
17th Century
English
tea
“A drink and the leaves of Camellia sinensis, borrowed through Dutch thee and Chinese trade forms”
1770s
English
tea-tree
“An Australian plant whose leaves were used by European sailors to prepare a tea-like infusion”
Modern English
English
tea tree
“Especially the Australian melaleuca whose leaves produce tea tree oil”