Meaning

(usually uncountable) A hard white translucent ceramic, originally made by firing kaolin, quartz, and feldspar at high temperatures but now also inclusive of similar artificial materials; also often (figurative) such a material as a symbol of the fragility, elegance, etc. traditionally associated with porcelain goods..

Definitions by Sense

1. (usually uncountable) A hard white translucent ceramic, originally made by firing kaolin, quartz, and feldspar at high temperatures but now also inclusive of similar artificial materials; also often (figurative) such a material as a symbol of the fragility, elegance, etc. traditionally associated with porcelain goods.
2. (usually uncountable) Synonym of china: porcelain tableware.
3. (uncountable, obsolete) Synonym of kaolin: the kind of clay traditionally used in China to manufacture porcelain.
4. (countable, now usually in the plural) An object made of porcelain, (particularly) art objects or items of tableware.
5. (countable, rare) Synonym of cowrie.
6. (countable, obsolete or historical) Synonym of wampum: strings of shells, beads, etc. used as ornamentation or currency; the composite shells, beads, etc.
7. (countable, often capitalized) A kind of pigeon with deep brown and off-white feathers.
8. (transitive) To coat with a porcelain enamel.

Example Sentences

Tableware and toilets are both made of porcelain.

Any power rail needs to be well insulated from earth, to minimise current leakage, and so the two power rails on the Underground sit on curiously genteel and antique-looking porcelain pots.

iij. potts of Erthe payntid, callyd Porseland.

He set the table with our porcelain and stemware.

[...] that earthen or pliable matter commonly called porcellan, which is pure white,... wherof vessels of all kinds are very curiously framed...

The museum has an extensive collection of rare Chinese porcelains.

In the kingdomes of Caiacan and Carazan, certaine sea shels are currant, which some men terme Porcelline.

We mett severall gangs of men to our greatest disadvantage, ffor we weare forced to sing, and those that came to see us gave porcelaine to those that most did us injury.

Word Forms

• porcelains
• porcelaining
• porcelained

Synonyms for porcelain

Related Words

When Should You Use Porcelain?

Use porcelain when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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