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 of pottery

• 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

Additional artifacts recovered during the excavation included pottery vessels, flasks, plates and offering tables made of limestone and sandstone. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Researchers found microscopic residue inside pottery vessels, shedding light on how people brewed beer-like drinks from millet, rice, wheat and barley more than 3,000 years ago. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Think drawings, kids’ pottery, a comfy sweatshirt from college, or an old tie that brings a smile. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026

The adornments will include traditional dress, crafts, pottery, baskets, blankets, posters or anything the decorators choose to show off about their heritage. — Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pottery

• cautery
• lottery
• watery
• electrocautery

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