English Reference
Noun

cuppa

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate UK /kˈʌpɐ/ cup·pa UK spelling cuppas

n.a short, casual way to say 'cup of tea'. It is a friendly word used mostly in British English.

n.a shortened, informal term for 'cup of tea'. Primarily used in British English and associated with casual, domestic contexts.


SIMPLE

I'll have a cuppa while I wait for the bus.

CONTEXTUAL

After a long day at work, she always looked forward to a quiet cuppa and a good book.

COMPLEX

The local pub was famous for its warm atmosphere and the fact that every customer received a free cuppa with their meal.

We know some people love a cuppa, even when it's sweltering, and that actually makes scientific sense.

BBC News· 8 Jul 2026

Contraction of cup of (with “tea” or sometimes “coffee” implied). See also a (“of”), pinta (“pint of milk”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated