matcha

noun

ˈmä-chə 

ˈma-

plural matchas

: a green powder made from ground green tea leaves that is used to make tea and other beverages and as a flavoring agent

Our meal began with matcha, the traditional green tea of the tea ceremony. The powder is spooned into a ceramic bowl, hot water added and the mixture whisked to a frothy jade.

—Alan Brown

Walk into a coffee shop or peruse Instagram and you're sure to have seen a matcha latte.

—Alysha Witwicki

also : tea made from matcha

At the time, he often experienced midafternoon malaise and began drinking hot matcha on his brother's recommendation.

—Jill Radsken

Examples of matcha in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Forbes is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. $109.99 from amazon.com £84.99 from amazon.co.uk The new entry-level Kindle lacks color but is still an exceptional reader and now has faster page turns and comes in a cute matcha finish as well as black. —David Phelan, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Jade Leaf offers a range of matcha grades, and today, everything on their site is 25% off. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appétit, 2 Dec. 2024

The meal ended with mochi drizzled with a syrup of black sugar from Okinawa followed by the diner’s choice of matcha or hojicha. —Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024

The set comes with all the essential matcha classics: a bamboo whisk, tea scoop, handmade whisking bowl, and a tin of ceremonial-grade organic matcha. —Andrew Watman, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese, from mat-, form in compounding of matsu "to rub, daub, paint" + cha "tea"

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above