porcelain

noun

por·​ce·​lain ˈpȯr-s(ə-)lən 

1

: a hard, fine-grained, sonorous, nonporous, and usually translucent and white ceramic ware that consists essentially of kaolin, quartz, and a feldspathic rock and is fired at a high temperature

called also hard-paste porcelain, true porcelain

2

: soft-paste porcelain

porcelainlike

ˈpȯr-s(ə-)lən-ˌlīk 

adjective

porcelaneous adjective

or porcellaneous

ˌpȯr-sə-ˈlā-nē-əs 

Examples of porcelain in a Sentence

The bowl is made of porcelain.

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to the hardwood floors, original features include custom silk-padded walls, chandeliers, and rare Limoges porcelain door knobs from France. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 12 Jan. 2025

Some institutions have already vowed to rebuild — among them the Bunny Museum in Altadena, which featured quirky but seemingly irreplaceable collections of porcelain figurines, artwork, clothing and other items depicting rabbits. —Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025

Find old globes and secondhand furniture at Blue Fonz; back issues of French and Dutch magazines and newspapers, and porcelain figurines at the knickknack shop Koetshuis Antiek; and contemporary Scandinavian homewares at Espoo. —Nina Siegal, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025

The colorful porcelain bowl fragment is thought to date from 1520 to 1570 and appears to have originated in China's Ming dynasty. —Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French porcelaine cowrie shell, porcelain, from Italian porcellana, from porcello vulva, literally, little pig, from Latin porcellus, diminutive of porcus pig, vulva; from the shape of the shell — more at farrow

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing porcelain

• hard-paste porcelain
• porcelain enamel
• soft-paste porcelain
• true porcelain

Kids Definition

porcelain

noun

por·​ce·​lain ˈpōr-s(ə-)lən 

ˈpȯr-

: a hard white ceramic ware used especially for dishes and chemical utensils

Medical Definition

porcelain

noun

por·​ce·​lain ˈpōr-s(ə-)lən, ˈpȯr- 

: a hard, fine-grained, nonporous, and usually translucent and white ceramic ware that consists essentially of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar and that has many uses in dentistry