kaolin

noun ka·o·lin \ ˈkā-ə-lən \

|Updated on: 10 Jul 2018

Definition of kaolin

: a fine usually white clay that is used in ceramics and refractories, as a filler or extender, and in medicine especially as an adsorbent in the treatment of diarrhea

See kaolin defined for kids

Recent Examples of kaolin from the Web

It’s made of cornstarch and kaolin clay, among a few moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, and is scented with jasmine.

— louise green, SELF, "5 Tips for Avoiding Inner-Thigh Chafing This Summer," 5 July 2018
Basque chef Andoni Luis Aduriz serves a dish of unadorned potatoes coated with a thin layer of fine, clean kaolin clay.

— jonathan gold, latimes.com, "Jonathan Gold's top dishes from 31 days of great chefs around L.A.? Potatoes cooked in earth," 8 June 2018
Cover garden vegetables with floating row covers by mid-June to keep the beetles off, or spray fruit and vegetable plants with kaolin clay.

— the editors of organic life, Good Housekeeping, "How To Defend Your Garden Against Japanese Beetles," 26 Jan. 2018
CoverFX comes in 40 shades with varying undertones and is infused with kaolin clay to soak up excess oil during the day.

— wendy gould, Allure, "The Best Concealers for Darker Skin Tones, According to Makeup Artists," 18 Jan. 2018
Vitamin A, green tea, kaolin clay, and lavender oil make this mask super revitalizing and help purify and plump stressed, dehydrated skin.

— bella gerard, Health.com, "These Are the 13 Products You Need to Snag From Dermstore’s Winter Essentials Sale," 16 Jan. 2018
These were white reliefs with surfaces made from familiar materials and objects (fabric, bread, cotton wool) covered in liquid kaolin, a white clay, which stiffened when dry.

— roberta smith, New York Times, "Enrico Castellani, Artist in the Postwar Avant-Garde, Dies at 87," 12 Dec. 2017
FOMO features a redness-reducing blend of calamine and rose, while Birth of Venus has a smoothing combo of kaolin clay and sea water that's great for moisturizing oily skin.

— rachel nussbaum, Glamour, "We Tried Those Lush Jelly Masks, and They're Fun As Hell," 25 Aug. 2017
This includes: salicylic acid, kaolin (commonly found in clay masks), sulfur, retinyl palmitate (a retinol derivative), and glycolic acid to smooth skin.

— ashley weatherford, The Cut, "This Concealer Also Fights Acne," 7 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kaolin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of kaolin

French kaolin, from Gaoling hill in China

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1741

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

KAOLIN Defined for Kids

kaolin

noun ka·o·lin \ ˈkā-ə-lən \

Definition of kaolin for Students

: a very pure white clay used in making porcelain

Medical Dictionary

kaolin

noun ka·olin \ ˈkā-ə-lən \

medical Definition of kaolin

: a fine usually white clay that is used in ceramics and refractories, as a filler or extender, and in medicine especially as an adsorbent in the treatment of diarrhea (as in food poisoning or dysentery)