"high tea" means: A late afternoon or early evening meal, typically consisting of a cooked dish with bread and butter and tea.. There is a drug-related reference, so this is one worth noticing without overreacting. Many teens encounter such vocabulary through music, film and friends without any direct involvement. A neutral, curious conversation about where they heard the term and what they understand by it is far more useful than a confrontation. Watch for repeated context, not a single word.
high tea
(UK, Australia, New Zealand) A late afternoon or early evening meal, typically consisting of a cooked dish with bread and butter and tea.
Seen in the wild
Missoula High Tea, our anniversary lunch, a scrumptious success.
Join our Mother’s Day Hats and High Tea event on Saturday, May 9 from 2–5pm at the Berkeley Rose Garden. We'll have: - live jazz - free charcuterie and desserts - photo booth - activities for all ages Arrive early,…
Definitions
(UK, Australia, New Zealand) A late afternoon or early evening meal, typically consisting of a cooked dish with bread and butter and tea.
"high tea" means: A late afternoon or early evening meal, typically consisting of a cooked dish with bread and butter and tea.. There is a drug-related reference, so this is one worth noticing without overreacting. Many teens encounter such vocabulary through music, film and friends without any direct involvement. A neutral, curious conversation about where they heard the term and what they understand by it is far more useful than a confrontation. Watch for repeated context, not a single word.
"high tea" means: A late afternoon or early evening meal, typically consisting of a cooked dish with bread and butter and tea.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (UK) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
Comments
(US) Formal afternoon tea.
“Missoula High Tea, our anniversary lunch, a scrumptious success.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Join our Mother’s Day Hats and High Tea event on Saturday, May 9 from 2–5pm at the Berkeley Rose Garden. We'll have: - live jazz - free charcuterie and desserts - photo booth - activities for all ages Arrive early, this one fills up!”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Used in
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "high tea".
🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "high tea" (H)
Browse all slang words starting with H.
Related terms
People also read
Semantically related
- afternoon tea84%
(UK) A formal afternoon meal comprising light snacks, accompanied by tea.
- low tea83%
(UK) A formal afternoon meal comprising light snacks, often accompanied by tea.
- afternoon tea82%
(Australia, NZ, Hong Kong) 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.
- evening tea80%
(uncountable, UK) A light evening meal, typically but not necessarily including tea.