tee

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: the letter t
2
: something shaped like a capital T
3
informal : t-shirt
wearing a cotton tee
4
: a mark aimed at in various games (such as curling)

tee

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
a
: a small mound or a peg on which a golf ball is placed before being struck at the beginning of play on a hole
b
: a device for holding a football in position for kicking
c
: an adjustable post on which a ball is placed for batting (as in T-ball)
2
: the area from which a golf ball is struck at the beginning of play on a hole

tee

3 of 3

verb

teed; teeing

transitive verb

: to place (a ball) on a tee
often used with up
Phrases
to a tee
: exactly, precisely
the description fit her to a tee

Examples of tee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The final round begins Saturday at 9:10 a.m., with the leaders taking the tee at 11:11. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025 The resort is also known for golf; its 18th hole is one of Wisconsin’s finest: the tee lies atop the Niagara Escarpment, a wall of rock that rises out of the water like a skyscraper. Jacqueline Kehoe, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
Cavin McCall has been to the Torrey Pines Golf Course hundreds of times, but never like this — inside the ropes teeing it up alongside some of the best golfers in the world for the Farmers Insurance Open. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025 Woods, who because of injuries rarely plays these days, usually makes an effort to tee it up at Riviera. Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for tee 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1673, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tee was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near tee

Cite this Entry

“Tee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tee. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

tee

1 of 3 noun
1
: the letter t
2
: something shaped like a capital T
3
informal : t-shirt

tee

2 of 3 noun
1
a
: a small peg on which a golf ball is set to be struck
b
: an adjustable post on which a ball is placed for batting (as in T-ball)
2
: the area from which a golf ball is struck in starting play on a hole

tee

3 of 3 verb
teed; teeing
: to place on a tee
teed up the ball

More from Merriam-Webster on tee

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!