Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Porcelain?

\Por"ce*lain\, n. (Bot.) Purslain. [Obs.]
\Por"ce*lain\ (277), n. [F. porcelaine, It. porcellana, orig., the porcelain shell, or Venus shell (Cypr[ae]a porcellana), from a dim. fr. L. porcus pig, probably from the resemblance of the shell in shape to a pig's back. Porcelain was called after this shell, either on account of its smoothness and whiteness, or because it was believed to be made from it. See {Pork}.] A fine translucent or semitransculent kind of earthenware, made first in China and Japan, but now also in Europe and America; -- called also {China}, or {China ware}. Porcelain, by being pure, is apt to break. --Dryden. {Ivory porcelain}, porcelain with a surface like ivory, produced by depolishing. See {Depolishing}. {Porcelain clay}. See under {Clay}. {Porcelain crab} (Zo["o]l.), any crab of the genus {Porcellana} and allied genera (family {Porcellanid[ae]}). They have a smooth, polished carapace. {Porcelain jasper}. (Min.) See {Porcelanite}. {Porcelain printing}, the transferring of an impression of an engraving to porcelain. {Porcelain shell} (Zo["o]l.), a cowry.