soft-paste porcelain

1 of 2

noun (1)

: a translucent ceramic ware fired at a low temperature that was produced in Europe during the 16th through 18th centuries in imitation of hard-paste porcelain

also : an article of soft-paste porcelain

soft paste

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: a ceramic body containing refined clay and a glassy frit

2

or soft-paste porcelain : a soft low-fired translucent ware with a soft-paste body produced in Europe from the 15th through the 18th century compare hard paste

3

: a fine-grained opaque Chinese ceramic ware related to true porcelain but having part of the kaolin replaced by pegmatite and usually being fired twice

4

: a lightweight soft opaque clay body (as of early Staffordshire)

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1854, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 2