often attributive
1
a
: an earthy material that is plastic when moist but hard when fired, that is composed mainly of fine particles of hydrous aluminum silicates and other minerals, and that is used for brick, tile, and pottery
specifically
: soil composed chiefly of this material having particles less than a specified size
2
a
: a substance that resembles clay in plasticity and is used for modeling
b
: the human body as distinguished from the spirit
c
: fundamental nature or character
the common clay
3
Synonyms
Examples of clay in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Essential botanical oils crafted in Maui (which are changed with the moon phases), herbs grown on site, and volcanic clay are utilized in body treatments.
—
Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
Kaolin clay and arrowroot powder work together to absorb any excess oil and buy you time between blowouts.
—Clare Holden, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
Eli Noyes, a filmmaker whose use of clay and sand in stop-motion animation garnered an Oscar nomination and shaped the aesthetic of Nickelodeon and MTV during the early days of cable television, died on March 23 at his home in San Francisco.
—Michael S. Rosenwald, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Valley View’s plumbing system, for instance, is made up of clay and galvanized pipes, which are collapsing after more than seven decades of use.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2024
This means that every tile is produced in-house at Rookwood's Over-the-Rhine facility – from mixing and pressing the raw clay to firing it in the kiln to glazing it.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 21 Mar. 2024
The roundhouses — one of which had almost 50 square meters (nearly 540 square feet) of floor space — had hearths and insulated straw and clay roofs.
—Adela Suliman, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024
One of the earliest records of people watching a specific solar eclipse may be the one recorded on a clay tablet in the Syrian port city of Ugarit, believed to contain a reference to the eclipse of March 5, 1223 B.C.E. Eclipse records from China may date back almost as far, Schaefer says.
—Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
The scientists believed the ship’s remains had sunk into the clay, further concealing its location.
—Rafael Vilela, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
Kaolin clay and arrowroot powder work together to absorb any excess oil and buy you time between blowouts.
—Clare Holden, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
Eli Noyes, a filmmaker whose use of clay and sand in stop-motion animation garnered an Oscar nomination and shaped the aesthetic of Nickelodeon and MTV during the early days of cable television, died on March 23 at his home in San Francisco.
—Michael S. Rosenwald, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Valley View’s plumbing system, for instance, is made up of clay and galvanized pipes, which are collapsing after more than seven decades of use.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2024
This means that every tile is produced in-house at Rookwood's Over-the-Rhine facility – from mixing and pressing the raw clay to firing it in the kiln to glazing it.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 21 Mar. 2024
The roundhouses — one of which had almost 50 square meters (nearly 540 square feet) of floor space — had hearths and insulated straw and clay roofs.
—Adela Suliman, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024
One of the earliest records of people watching a specific solar eclipse may be the one recorded on a clay tablet in the Syrian port city of Ugarit, believed to contain a reference to the eclipse of March 5, 1223 B.C.E. Eclipse records from China may date back almost as far, Schaefer says.
—Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
The scientists believed the ship’s remains had sunk into the clay, further concealing its location.
—Rafael Vilela, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near clay
Cite this Entry
“Clay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clay. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clay
noun1
: an earthy material that is sticky and easily molded when wet and hard when baked
2
: a plastic substance used like clay for modeling
Biographical Definition
Clay
2 of 2biographical name (2)
Lucius Du Bi*gnon
du̇-ˈbin-yən 
1897–1978 American general
1897–1978 American general
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