porcelain
n. · v.-
1 the material (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea strong but delicate white ceramic material used for making high-quality dishes and ornaments.
a hard, white, translucent ceramic made by firing pure clay at very high temperatures. Uncountable in its material sense.
ExampleThe museum has a beautiful collection of ancient Chinese porcelain.
ExampleThe artisan explained that the translucent quality of the porcelain was achieved through a precise mixture of kaolin and feldspar fired at extreme heat.
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2 objects made of porcelain (n.) B2 Upper Intermediateitems like plates, cups, or statues that are made from this white ceramic.
individual objects or a collection of items, particularly tableware or art, manufactured from porcelain. Often used as a collective noun.
ExampleWe only use the fine porcelain for special family dinners.
ExampleThe auction house specialised in eighteenth-century European porcelain, including several rare figurines from the Meissen factory.
- tableware
- crockery
- ceramics
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3 to coat with enamel (v.) C2 Proficiency Technical Technicalto cover a surface with a hard, shiny coating that looks like porcelain.
to apply a porcelain enamel coating to a surface, typically metal, for protection or decoration.
ExampleThe manufacturer decided to porcelain the interior of the oven for easier cleaning.
ExampleIndustrial vats are often porcelained to provide a non-reactive surface that can withstand corrosive chemical processes.
From Middle French porcelaine (“cowrie, wampum; china, chinaware”), from Old Italian porcellana (“cowrie; china, chinaware”), from porcella (“female piglet”) + -ana. The material was so called because of its resemblance to the shell of the cowrie. Why the cowrie was named with a word meaning “piglet” is unclear.