Oolongs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of partially oxidized tea that offers a flavor profile distinct from both black and green teas
2. Referring to a variety of tea known for its complex aromas and taste, achieved through a unique processing method
3. A category of traditional Chinese tea that falls between green and black teas in terms of oxidation, known for its health benefits and diverse characteristics

Etymology: The name is a plural of "oolong", a Chinese tea whose name is usually translated as "black dragon." The most debated part is the first character, 烏 (wū in Mandarin, o͘ in Hokkien), which means "black," and the second, 龍 (lóng or liông), "dragon." Scholars disagree on whether the name came straight from the Hokkien dialect of Fujian, spoken in the region where such teas were produced, or whether it reached English through Mandarin. In the Mandarin route, speakers may have "corrected" a Hokkien-style pronunciation into a form they thought was standard, a process called hypercorrection. The word entered English in the 1850s, when Western traders and writers were first encountering Chinese teas in quantity. Its plural, "oolongs," simply refers to several varieties or batches of the tea.