tea caddy

noun

1. a small box, can, or chest for holding tea leaves.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tea caddy¹

1830–40; probably originally catty ², the box that held the measure being confused with the measure itself

Example Sentences

As she put the kettle on the stove and busied her hands with the tea caddy, she was thinking hard.

From Literature

The bid won the tea caddy, and with the buyer’s commission tacking on another $600, it came in at six times the estimate.

From New York Times

Carol particularly liked an elaborately carved wooden tea caddy that belonged to Henry’s mother.

From Washington Post

One competition prize from the 1920 was a jelly pan and another was a tea caddy.

From BBC

When he discovered a picture of an iridescent tea caddy from an old Tiffany catalog, it fired his imagination further.

From New York Times