potter

1 of 2

noun

pot·​ter ˈpä-tər How to pronounce potter (audio)
: one that makes pottery

potter

2 of 2

verb

pottered; pottering; potters
potterer noun
potteringly adverb

Examples of potter in a Sentence

Verb pottering around indoors on a rainy day
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 tension between sharp contemporary verisimilitude and age-old romantic archetype helps explain why Bridget potters on while so many other ’90s heroines have fallen by the wayside. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025 The corpse was headed for potter’s field in late March when the funeral parlor received a strange call — a man offering to pay for the burial. Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
As West Point residents were pottering about their errands, their lives were halted by a public health system that wanted to contain the disease. Edna Bonhomme, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2025 Lucia pottered about, switching on a lamp, putting things away into cupboards, stacking the mugs into a corner. Ruby Opalka, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for potter

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably frequentative of English dialect pote to poke

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of potter was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Potter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potter. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

potter

1 of 2 noun
pot·​ter ˈpät-ər How to pronounce potter (audio)
: one that makes pottery

potter

2 of 2 verb
potterer noun

Biographical Definition

Potter 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

Pot·​ter ˈpä-tər How to pronounce Potter (audio)
Beatrix 1866–1943 British writer and illustrator

Potter

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

Paul or Paulus 1625–1654 Dutch painter

More from Merriam-Webster on potter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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