General
spilling the tea
What does spilling the tea mean?
To share gossip or the honest, behind-the-scenes truth, the stuff people actually want to know. The tea is the real story; spilling it is handing it over. Originally 'T' for truth in Black queer scene talk, it became 'tea' and went everywhere.
"Sit down, because I'm about to spill the tea on what happened at the ball."
Origin
Black and Latinx queer vernacular, where 'tea' (sometimes written 'T', as in truth) meant the real story or the gossip. Spread through drag and ballroom culture into mainstream usage.
Frequently asked questions
What does "spilling the tea" mean?
It means dishing the gossip or telling the candid, unfiltered truth.
How do you use "spilling the tea" in a sentence?
"She was spilling the tea about everything that went down at the party."
Is "spilling the tea" the same as gossiping?
It's closely related — sharing gossip or blunt truths, often the juicy details others don't know.
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