pottery

noun

pot·​tery ˈpä-tə-rē 

plural potteries

1

: a place where clayware is made and fired

2

a

: the art or craft of the potter

b

: the manufacture of clayware

3

: clayware

especially : earthenware as distinguished from porcelain and stoneware and from brick and tile

Synonyms

• ceramics

Examples of pottery in a Sentence

He has collected pottery for years.

She was a painter for years before she discovered pottery.

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s mindfulness in many forms, from various sound baths (the sensory silk cocoon mediation was a highlight) to beginner-friendly gratitude meditations to pottery classes that take a hands-on approach to mindfulness. —Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2025

Two pottery lids in the chamber featured the heads of coatimundi, or tz'uutz' in Maya. —Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025

White Handled Ceramic Vase With sculptural handles and matte finish, this White Handled Ceramic Vase feels like a beachcomber’s pottery find. —Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2025

Irish looked over ancient Egyptian imagery of different occupations, including pottery making, masonry, soldering, farming and weaving, to figure out how the man might have spent his time. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 2 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pottery

• cautery
• lottery
• watery

Kids Definition

pottery

noun

pot·​tery ˈpät-ə-rē 

plural potteries

1

: a place where clay articles (as pots and vases) are made

2

: the art of the potter : ceramics

3

: articles made from clay that is shaped while moist and hardened by heat