potter

¹

[ pot-er ]

noun

1. a person who makes pottery.

potter

²

[ pot-er ]

verb (used without object)

, Chiefly British.

1. putter ¹.

Potter

³

[ pot-er ]

noun

1. Be·a·trix [bee, -, uh, -triks], 1866–1943, English writer and illustrator of children's books.
2. Paul, 1625–54, Dutch painter.

potter

¹

/ ˈpɒtə /

noun

1. a person who makes pottery

potter

²

/ ˈpɒtə /

verb

1. intr; often foll by about or around to busy oneself in a desultory though agreeable manner
2. intr; often foll by along or about to move with little energy or direction

   to potter about town

3. trusually foll byaway to waste (time)

   to potter the day away

noun

1. the act of pottering

Potter

³

/ ˈpɒtə /

noun

1. Potter(Helen) Beatrix18661943FBritishWRITING: children's authorARTS AND CRAFTS: illustrator ( Helen ) Beatrix. 1866–1943, British author and illustrator of children's animal stories, such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902)
2. PotterDennis (Christopher George)19351994MBritishTHEATRE: dramatist Dennis ( Christopher George ). 1935–94, British dramatist. His TV plays include Pennies from Heaven (1978), The Singing Detective (1986), and Blackeyes (1989)
3. PotterPaulus16251654MDutchARTS AND CRAFTS: painter Paulus. 1625–54, Dutch painter, esp of animals
4. PotterStephen19001970MBritishWRITING: humorous writerWRITING: critic Stephen. 1900–70, British humorist and critic. Among his best-known works are Gamesmanship (1947) and One-Upmanship (1952), on the art of achieving superiority over others

Derived Forms

• ˈpotterer, noun

Other Words From

• potter·er noun
• potter·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of potter¹

before 1100; Middle English; late Old English pottere. See pot ¹, -er ¹

Origin of potter²

1520–30; frequentative of obsolete, dial. pote to push, poke, Middle English poten, Old English potian to push, thrust. See put, -er ⁶

Word History and Origins

Origin of potter¹

C16 (in the sense: to poke repeatedly): from Old English potian to thrust; see put

Example Sentences

The number of doses administered can scale up or down depending on demand, Potter said.

From Washington Post

Many speculate that it has something to do with the physical similarities between the two objects Potter allegedly mixed up.

From Quartz

As supply ramps up in coming weeks, Potter said sites administering vaccines will expand and new locations will be added.

From Washington Post

Potter said it was unclear if or how Virginia supplies might be affected by the news late Wednesday that millions of doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine were contaminated at a manufacturing plant in Baltimore.

From Washington Post

Potter didn’t know if she was finished with the music industry or it was finished with her.

From Ozy

There is, fortunately, not too much telling of the future in Harry Potter.

From The Daily Beast

Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

From The Daily Beast

Daniel Radcliffe may not be Harry Potter anymore but he continues to amaze us with magic.

From The Daily Beast

For so much of the Harry Potter series, Voldemort was the ghost story, but Dolores Umbridge was the actual ghost.

From The Daily Beast

Well, first take on a variety of roles—not always in contrary spirit to Joey Potter.

From The Daily Beast

At one fell swoop on the field of Jena, the famed military monarchy of the great Frederick fell in pieces like a potter's vessel.

From Project Gutenberg

Under the type of breaking a potter's vessel, the prophet foresheweth the desolation of the Jews for their sins.

From Project Gutenberg

Startled and horrified, Georgie had become in regard to her cousin, that born intriguer, but as clay in the hands of the potter.

From Project Gutenberg

Then you're the chap who covered the trail between Phœnix and Potter's Gap yesterday afternoon?

From Project Gutenberg

The wheel used here is the clumsiest and rudest I ever saw, and the potter is obliged to sit sideways by it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• fidget
• fool
• interfere