tea cloth
See also: teacloth
English
Etymology
From tea + cloth; originally designating a cloth for wiping tea service items after washing, later a small tablecloth useful for afternoon tea. Attested from the late 18th century. Compare later tea towel.
Noun
tea cloth (plural tea cloths)
- A tea towel.
- A small tablecloth.
References
- tea, n.1 in Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.