Cuppa

Cuppa (noun / UK Slang)

(Also heard as: Cuppa tea, Cuppa char, Cup of rosie)

Definition:

Cuppa is British slang for a cup of tea. It is short for “cup of”, and it is also sometimes used for coffee. Offering someone a cuppa is the classic British way to welcome a guest, comfort a friend or settle an argument. “Fancy a cuppa?” may be the most British sentence there is.

Where Cuppa Comes From:

The word is a shortened, spoken form of “cup of”, recorded in print from the early 1900s. Tea became Britain’s national drink in the 1700s, and “cuppa” grew up with it, along with other nicknames such as “brew”, “char” and the rhyming slang “rosie lee”.

How People Actually Use Cuppa:

People say “put the kettle on, I will make a cuppa” in every home and office in the UK. A cuppa is a break, a bit of comfort and a way to talk. After bad news, someone will almost always say “I will make us a cuppa”. “Not my cup of tea” is a related phrase meaning something you do not like.

Is Cuppa Rude?

No. It is warm, friendly and used by everybody. The only risk is making it wrong: milk first or last is a serious debate.

Examples in the Wild:

• “Fancy a cuppa?”

  Meaning: Would you like a cup of tea?

• “I am gagging for a cuppa.”

  Meaning: I really want a cup of tea.

• “Come in, I will pop the kettle on and we can have a cuppa and a chat.”

  Meaning: Make yourself at home and let us talk.

Similar Slang:

Brew, Gagging, Bevvy, Sarnie, Peckish, Chinwag

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