bohea

See also: Bohea

English

Alternative forms

• Bohea

Etymology

Borrowed from Hokkien 武夷 (Bú-î), for the Bohea Hills (Wuyi Mountains) in Fujian, where the tea is grown. Compare French bou.

Noun

bohea (countable and uncountable, plural boheas)

1. A black tea from China.
   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 71–72:

     The breath of the roses, mingled with the fragrant bohea, which stood just made on the little breakfast-table.

Usage notes

• The term originally referred to a high-quality tea, but now refers to a lower-grade tea.

Anagrams

• obeah