tea cloth
noun
Forms tea cloths teacloth
- noun A tea towel.
- noun A small tablecloth.
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.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “tea cloth”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details