porcelain

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noun por·ce·lain \ˈpȯr-s(ə-)lən\

Simple Definition of porcelain

: a hard, white substance that is very delicate and that is made by baking clay

Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary

Full Definition of porcelain

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

play \-ˌlīk\ adjective

porcelaneous

porcellaneous

play \ˌpȯr-sə-ˈlā-nē-əs\ adjective

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Examples of porcelain in a sentence

The bowl is made of porcelain.

Origin and Etymology of porcelain

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

PORCELAIN Defined for Kids

porcelain

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noun por·ce·lain \ˈpȯr-sə-lən\

Definition of porcelain for Students

: a hard white product of baked clay used especially for dishes, tile, and decorative objects

Medical Dictionary

porcelain

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noun por·ce·lain \ˈpōr-s(ə-)lən, ˈpȯr-\

Medical Definition of porcelain

: 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