porcelain
n. uncountablen. a hard, white, and shiny material used to make expensive plates, cups, and decorations. It is a very high-quality type of ceramic that can be thin enough to see light through.
n. a fine-grained, translucent ceramic material made by heating kaolin and other materials to high temperatures. Often used for high-quality tableware and decorative objects; distinguished from earthenware by its hardness and whiteness.
The tea is served in delicate porcelain cups.
The museum displays a rare collection of 18th-century porcelain vases that were imported from East Asia.
While the exterior of the building was made of rough stone, the interior was decorated with intricate porcelain tiles that reflected the soft morning light.
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.
Uncountable when referring to the material; can be used as a modifier before another noun (e.g., 'porcelain doll').