bone china

American

noun

a fine, naturally white china made with bone ash.

bone china British

noun

porcelain containing bone ash

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bone china

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The site produces high-end and bespoke designs, including handcrafted fine bone china pieces and Jasperware, a type of pottery developed in the 18th Century by founder Josiah Wedgwood.

From BBC • Sep. 16, 2025

Lily Spicer, a spokeswoman for the trust that manages the official royal gift shops, said commemorative bone china pieces have been among the most popular items.

From Washington Post • May 31, 2022

Mom will think of you every time she sips from this fine bone china astrological tea cup from Spitfire Girl.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2022

And it’s likely that this is the first time a boombox has been rendered on bone china.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2022

Under cover of the clinking of water goblets and silverware and bone china, I paved my plate with chicken slices.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023