Porcelain shell

Porcelain shell
Porcelain 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}. [1913 Webster]

Porcelain, by being pure, is apt to break. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Porcelain — 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Porcelain clay — Porcelain 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Porcelain crab — Porcelain 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Porcelain jasper — Porcelain 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Porcelain printing — Porcelain 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • porcelain — n. 1 a hard vitrified translucent ceramic. 2 objects made of this. Phrases and idioms: porcelain clay kaolin. porcelain shell cowrie. Derivatives: porcellaneous adj. porcellanous adj. Etymology: F porcelaine cowrie, porcelain f. It. porcellana f …   Useful english dictionary

  • porcelain — 1530s, from M.Fr. porcelaine, from It. porcellana porcelain (13c.), lit. cowrie shell, the chinaware so called from resemblance to the shiny surface of the shells. The shell s name in Italian is from porcella young sow, fem. of L. porcellus young …   Etymology dictionary

  • porcelain — [pôr′sə lin, pôrs′lin] n. [Fr porcelaine < It porcellana, orig., a kind of shell < porcella, little pig, vulva (< L porcellus, dim. of porcus, pig, vulva): see FARROW1] 1. a hard, white, nonporous, translucent variety of ceramic ware,… …   English World dictionary

  • porcelain — ► NOUN 1) a white vitrified translucent ceramic. 2) articles made of this. ORIGIN Italian porcellana cowrie shell , hence chinaware (from its resemblance to the polished surface of cowrie shells) …   English terms dictionary

  • Porcelain — Fine China redirects here. For the band, see Fine China (band). This article is about the ceramic material. For other uses, see Porcelain (disambiguation). Chinese moon flask, 1723 35, Qing Dynasty …   Wikipedia

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