kaolin

noun

ka·​o·​lin ˈkā-ə-lən 

: 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

Examples of kaolin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This creamy formula blends kaolin and bentonite with bamboo charcoal powder to attract and remove pore-clogging impurities, excess oil, and buildup. —Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 12 Sep. 2025

Key Ingredients: Turmeric, citrine gemstones, paprika, zeolite, kaolin clay Best for: Dull skin, mature skin Size: 2 oz. —Iman Balagam, Vogue, 19 Aug. 2025

Unlike traditional slow cookers or casserole dishes made from metal or glazed stoneware, the Claypot Oven uses untreated, mineral-rich kaolin clay as its base. —Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 9 July 2025

Quartz is just one of many minerals — there is also mica, feldspar and kaolin — that have kept the area economically relevant for centuries, and that will continue to sustain the region no matter the geopolitical climate, mine workers and local officials say. —Mike Belleme, New York Times, 31 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

French kaolin, from Gaoling hill in China

First Known Use

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

kaolin

noun

ka·​olin

ˈkā-ə-lən

: a fine usually white clay used in making porcelain, in paper, and in medicines that treat diarrhea

Medical Definition

kaolin

noun

ka·​olin ˈkā-ə-lən 

: 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)