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

Somewhere between Venice and Paris, just as afternoon tea was served—raspberry tartlets and biscotti squisiti, coffee poured from silver ewers into porcelain cups—JR, the French artist known for his public installations, was starting to freak out. —Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 8 June 2026

Instead of using carpet in your bathroom, consider vinyl, laminate, ceramic, or porcelain tiles. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2026

Fairchild described the kitchen as a visual statement — with stone and porcelain wrapping a full appliance wall and waterfall island. —David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2026

Along with recordings, researchers returned with family Bibles, good china, and valuable mementos, including a porcelain pin box given to a Black seamstress by First Lady Edith Wilson. —Camille Borders, The Atlantic, 3 June 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