# potter's field

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/potters-field
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.

## Examples

- The unknown man was buried in the potter's field.
- Because the family could not afford a private plot, the city buried the unclaimed body in the potter's field.
- The neglected cemetery, once known as a potter's field, now serves as a quiet, overgrown resting place for those whom society long ago forgot.

## Origin

The phrase derives from the New Testament, appearing in Matthew 27:7. After Judas Iscariot committed suicide, he left behind the thirty pieces of silver he had received for the betrayal of Jesus. As the coins were considered blood money and therefore unfit for the temple treasury, the chief priests used the sum to purchase a potter’s field to serve as a burial ground for gentiles. The site was traditionally a source of clay, but once the usable earth had been extracted, the resulting excavations were of little value for agriculture or industry. The land was subsequently repurposed for those who died without the means for a private grave, establishing the term as a designation for the burial of the indigent and the unknown.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.