pottery

pottery — noun

1. the practical art of shaping soft clay into bowls, cups, and similar things, the

1.nounB2
Definition

the practical art of shaping soft clay into bowls, cups, and similar things, then heating them until they become hard.

Example

Aya learned pottery in evening classes at the town arts center.

learn pottery

On Fridays, Mr. Kim teaches pottery to children after school.

teach pottery

Common collocations
  • learn pottery
  • teach pottery
  • do pottery
  • pottery class
  • pottery wheel
Synonyms
  • ceramics

    broader and more technical; often includes work beyond simple clay pots

  • clay work

    plain descriptive phrase; less fixed than 'pottery'

  • craft

    much broader; can describe many hand-making skills, not only clay

Grammar Patterns

learn pottery

do pottery

teach pottery

Usage Note

Uncountable in this sense. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the finished clay objects rather than the work of making them.

Common Mistakes

My sister goes to a pottery every Tuesday.
My sister goes to a pottery class every Tuesday.
this sense names the craft, not the place.
He made many potteries at camp.
He did a lot of pottery at camp.
the activity sense is uncountable.

2. pots, bowls, plates, and related items formed from clay and fired so that they s

2.nounB2
Definition

pots, bowls, plates, and related items formed from clay and fired so that they stay hard.

Example

Dad bought blue pottery from a small shop in Tainan.

buy pottery

Broken pottery lay near the fire pit behind the old house.

Common collocations
  • ancient pottery
  • broken pottery
  • local pottery
  • painted pottery
  • a piece of pottery
Synonyms
  • ceramics

    broader; can include porcelain and other fired materials, not only everyday clayware

  • earthenware

    more specific; usually low-fired clay objects

  • stoneware

    more specific; stronger fired clay with a harder finish

Grammar Patterns

buy pottery

a piece of pottery

ancient pottery

Usage Note

Usually uncountable when you mean clay objects as a group. For one item, English often uses 'a piece of pottery' rather than 'a pottery'.

Common Mistakes

She bought three potteries in Kyoto.
She bought three pieces of pottery in Kyoto.
use 'pieces of pottery' when counting individual items.
This pottery is my hobby.
Making pottery is my hobby.
sense 2 names the objects, while sense 1 names the activity.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

'Pottery' is the most everyday word for bowls, cups, jars, and similar things made from clay and hardened by heat, especially when you are talking about them as a group. 'Ceramics' is broader and slightly more technical: it can include artistic pieces, tiles, and materials beyond simple household ware. 'Earthenware' is narrower and usually points to more porous, lower-fired clay goods. 'Stoneware' is also narrower, but it suggests harder, stronger pieces fired at a higher temperature. In a shop, most people say 'local pottery'. In a museum label, you are more likely to read 'ancient ceramics'. If you want to stress the specific material quality, choose 'earthenware' or 'stoneware' instead.

pottery ↗ceramicsearthenwarestoneware

Etymology

English

'Pottery' grew inside English from 'potter' plus the noun ending '-y'. It first named the work done by a potter and then also the clay goods produced by that work, which is why modern English still uses the same word for both the craft and the objects.