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

For a bolder pop of color, go for a set of three glossy porcelain fish from Jonathan Adler. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Nov. 2025

They’re made of porcelain and feature a bold red plaid pattern with yellow, white, green, and navy stripes that stand out against the crisp white interior. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2025

The cat was, according to several reports, still alive in 2025 and eating meals out of the porcelain bowls that Lagerfeld bought for her. —Allison Anna Tait, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 2025

While in the United States, the price for porcelain veneers is typically in the range of $900 - $2,500 per tooth, major Turkish clinics typically do the same treatment for $220 to $440. —William Jones, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025

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