kaolin

or ka·o·line

[ key-uh-lin ]

noun

1. a fine white clay used in the manufacture of porcelain.

kaolin

/ ˈkeɪəlɪn /

noun

1. a fine white clay used for the manufacture of hard-paste porcelain and bone china and in medicine as a poultice and gastrointestinal absorbent Also calledchina claychina stone

Derived Forms

• ˌkaoˈlinic, adjective

Other Words From

• kao·linic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of kaolin¹

1720–30; < French < Chinese (Wade-Giles) Kao1ling3, (pinyin) Gāolǐng mountain in Jiangxi province that yielded the first kaolin sent to Europe ( gāo high + lǐng hill)

Word History and Origins

Origin of kaolin¹

C18: from French, from Chinese Kaoling Chinese mountain where supplies for Europe were first obtained, from kao high + ling hill

Example Sentences

The alkali species yield kaolin by alteration, and are thus the source of china-clay.

From Project Gutenberg

Established by M. Haffringue, in the 19th century, with the kaolin of Limoges.

From Project Gutenberg

Their faces are painted black across the whole mid section and the chins are covered with white kaolin—a really startling effect.

From Project Gutenberg

The kaolin is washed at the pit, and sent in this state to Sèvres, under the name of decanted earth.

From Project Gutenberg

This sieve is shaken upon its support, in order to make it discharge the washed argillaceous kaolin.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• brick
• earth
• mud
• terra cotta