china closet

noun

: a cabinet or cupboard for the storage or display of household china

Examples of china closet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Servidors are massive and must be kept in a storage unit, but many other items are in the china closet, to the chagrin of Mr. Lepore’s mother, Virginia. Dan Barry, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2023 My china closet is peopled with memories, but only for me. Jessica Hornik, National Review, 31 Mar. 2022 Thomas Markle had been the classic bull in the china closet in the runup to the 2018 wedding. Guy Martin, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2021 There is a walk-in china closet that would make any tableware collector swoon: its felted floor-to-ceiling shelves store her vast porcelain collection. Dana Thomas, ELLE Decor, 14 Dec. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'china closet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of china closet was in 1771

Dictionary Entries Near china closet

Cite this Entry

“China closet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/china%20closet. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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