marsh tea

9.9

A small bush with strong-smelling leaves that grows in bogs

noun

: té de pantano

The marsh tea plant thrives in wetland areas.

Examples

In Scandinavia, marsh tea has traditionally been used to flavor beer.
I brewed some marsh tea this morning.
Hikers should be cautious when picking marsh tea, as its leaves contain toxic compounds.
The herbalist collected marsh tea from the bog for its medicinal properties.
The herbalist collected marsh tea from the bog for its medicinal properties.
Hikers should be cautious when picking marsh tea, as its leaves contain toxic compounds.
In Scandinavia, marsh tea has traditionally been used to flavor beer.

Synonyms

Ledum palustre

vsmarsh tea

Specialized

9.9

A small shrub that grows in bogs in northern regions with scented leaves used for tea

focuses on the plant rather than its traditional use as a beverage

wild rosemary

vsmarsh tea

7.9

A low bog bush from northern Europe and Asia with leaves that smell strong and pleasant, not the cooking herb

is the actual species rather than a misleading herb-like name

Surface Forms

marsh tea singular

marsh teas plural

Morphology

marsh + tea

The compound 'marsh tea' is directly interpretable as a tea (plant or infusion) associated with marshes — i.e., a plant/tea that grows in wetlands with aromatic leaves. The meaning follows a straightforward noun+noun compositional pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows 'marsh' and 'tea' would likely infer this sense.

Etymology

The name marsh tea comes from a plant that grows in a marsh and has leaves used like tea. People brewed its strong, aromatic leaves for flavor or medicine, so the name shows it is a 'tea' from the marsh.