tee

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈtē 

1

: the letter t

2

: something shaped like a capital T

3

informal : t-shirt

wearing a cotton tee

4

: a mark aimed at in various games (such as curling)

tee

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

a

: a small mound or a peg on which a golf ball is placed before being struck at the beginning of play on a hole

b

: a device for holding a football in position for kicking

c

: an adjustable post on which a ball is placed for batting (as in T-ball)

2

: the area from which a golf ball is struck at the beginning of play on a hole

tee

3 of 3

verb

teed; teeing

transitive verb

: to place (a ball) on a tee

—often used with up

Phrases

to a tee

: exactly, precisely

the description fit her to a tee

Examples of tee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Beyond footwear, New Balance offers an extensive selection from the official TCS NYC Marathon gear and athlete collaborations, including graphic tees, jackets, and pants, allowing fans and runners to wear their pride. —Cassell Ferere, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

Sharing a carousel of costume pictures on her Instagram, Sienna can be seen rocking an all-red look comprised of cargo pants, a zip-up tee, Nike sneakers and a large crown. —Emma Aerin Becker, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Verb

Besides economic differences, Oliver’s other biggest distinction from Harris and Trump — his opposition to Israel’s role in the war in Gaza — could further tee him up to have influence in states with substantial Arab American and Muslim populations, like Michigan. —Hanna Trudo, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2024

Golfers will be able to tee on the walkable course, dubbed Cabot Pacific, which is designed by Canadian golf course architect Rod Whitman. —Rachel Dube, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1673, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tee

• ringer tee
• tee ball
• tee-hee
• tee off
• tee off on (someone or something)
• tee shirt
• tee shot
• tee time
• tee up
• wind tee

Kids Definition

tee

1 of 3 noun

ˈtē 

1

: the letter t

2

: something shaped like a capital T

3

informal : t-shirt

tee

2 of 3 noun

1

a

: a small peg on which a golf ball is set to be struck

b

: an adjustable post on which a ball is placed for batting (as in T-ball)

2

: the area from which a golf ball is struck in starting play on a hole

tee

3 of 3 verb

teed; teeing

: to place on a tee

teed up the ball