# potter

/ˈpɑtɝ/ (US) · /pˈɒtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/potter
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. maker of ceramics

noun · CEFR B1

someone who makes pots, bowls, and plates out of clay.

For teachers: a person who manufactures earthenware, stoneware, or porcelain vessels.

- The potter used a spinning wheel to shape the wet clay into a beautiful vase.
- The local potter specialises in salt-glazed stoneware, drawing inspiration from traditional techniques used in the region for centuries.

### 2. to move aimlessly

verb · CEFR B2 · British English

to spend time doing small, easy tasks in a relaxed way without a clear plan.

For teachers: to occupy oneself in a desultory but pleasant manner; to move about without a specific goal.

- On Sundays, he likes to potter about in the garden, pulling a few weeds and watering the plants.
- After retiring, she spent most of her mornings pottering around the house, attending to minor repairs that she had neglected for years.

Usage: often used with the particles 'about' or 'around'

Teaching tip: In American English, the spelling 'putter' is used for this same meaning.

## Examples

- The potter shapes the wet clay into a beautiful bowl.
- Local potters sell their handmade mugs and plates at the weekend market in the town square.
- The master potter demonstrated how a slight adjustment in hand pressure could transform a simple cylinder into an elegant, thin-walled vase on the spinning wheel.

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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.