porcelain

noun

por·​ce·​lain ˈpȯr-s(ə-)lən 

1

: a hard, fine-grained, sonorous, nonporous, and usually translucent and white ceramic ware that consists essentially of kaolin, quartz, and a feldspathic rock and is fired at a high temperature

called also hard-paste porcelain, true porcelain

2

: soft-paste porcelain

porcelainlike

ˈpȯr-s(ə-)lən-ˌlīk 

adjective

porcelaneous adjective

or porcellaneous

ˌpȯr-sə-ˈlā-nē-əs 

Examples of porcelain in a Sentence

The bowl is made of porcelain.

Recent Examples on the Web

The accompanying bathroom sports dual quartz vanities and an oversize porcelain shower topped by an arched clerestory window. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 8 May 2026

Charming Porcelain Quaint little porcelain dishes and decorative items are another hot ticket item at flea markets. —Heather Bien, Southern Living, 8 May 2026

Large-format porcelain tiles in wet areas, with a slip rating of R10 or better, look like stone but behave like safety equipment. —Amy Kunst, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026

The staircase to the second floor had a stair lift, and into my head drifted an image of an elderly widow, slowly ascending to her bedroom after eating alone, her kitchen overflowing with porcelain and crystal reminders of dinner parties long ago. —Literary Hub, 6 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French porcelaine cowrie shell, porcelain, from Italian porcellana, from porcello vulva, literally, little pig, from Latin porcellus, diminutive of porcus pig, vulva; from the shape of the shell — more at farrow

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing porcelain

• hard-paste porcelain
• porcelain enamel
• soft-paste porcelain
• true porcelain

Kids Definition

porcelain

noun

por·​ce·​lain ˈpōr-s(ə-)lən 

ˈpȯr-

: a hard white ceramic ware used especially for dishes and chemical utensils

Medical Definition

porcelain

noun

por·​ce·​lain ˈpōr-s(ə-)lən, ˈpȯr- 

: a hard, fine-grained, nonporous, and usually translucent and white ceramic ware that consists essentially of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar and that has many uses in dentistry