clay

¹

[kley]

noun

1. a natural earthy material that is plastic when wet, consisting essentially of hydrated silicates of aluminum: used for making bricks, pottery, etc.

2. earth; mud.

3. earth, especially regarded as the material from which the human body was formed.

4. the human body, especially as distinguished from the spirit or soul; the flesh.

5. human character as estimated according to fineness of constitution, endowments, etc..

   The saints and heroes seem of a different clay from most of us.

verb (used with object)

1. to treat or mix with clay; cover, daub, or fill with clay.

2. to filter through clay.

Clay

²

[kley]

noun

1. Bertha M. Charlotte Monica Braeme, 1836–84, English author: originator of a long series of romantic novels.

2. Cassius Marcellus, 1810–1903, U.S. antislavery leader and diplomat.

3. Cassius Marcellus, Jr., original name of Muhammad Ali.

4. Henry, 1777–1852, U.S. statesman and orator.

5. Lucius (DuBignon) 1897–1978, U.S. general.

6. a male given name.

Clay

¹

/ kleɪ /

noun

1. Cassius See Muhammad Ali

2. Henry. 1777–1852, US statesman and orator; secretary of state (1825–29)

clay

²

/ kleɪ /

noun

1. a very fine-grained material that consists of hydrated aluminium silicate, quartz, and organic fragments and occurs as sedimentary rocks, soils, and other deposits. It becomes plastic when moist but hardens on heating and is used in the manufacture of bricks, cement, ceramics, etc

2. earth or mud in general

3. poetic,  the material of the human body

verb

1. (tr) to cover or mix with clay

clay

1. A stiff, sticky sedimentary material that is soft and pliable when wet and consists mainly of various silicates of aluminum. Clay particles are smaller than silt, having a diameter less than 0.0039 mm. Clay is widely used to make bricks, pottery, and tiles.

Other Word Forms

• claylike adjective
• unclayed adjective
• clayey adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of clay¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English clei, cleigh, Old English clǣg, cognate with Dutch klei, German Klei, akin to glue

Word History and Origins

Origin of clay¹

Old English clǣg; related to Old High German klīa, Norwegian kli, Latin glūs glue, Greek gloios sticky oil

Idioms and Phrases

• feet of clay

Example Sentences

They had already dueled on the clay of Roland-Garros and the grass of Wimbledon this season, taking one final apiece.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This 115-foot hill is actually an artificial mound, made up of fragments of millions of clay amphorae.

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The top two in the world have indeed met in the final of the past five tournaments they both entered - and they have been played on clay, grass and hard courts.

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But all the sober talk in the world can’t rival one spot-on dig when it comes to kicking the clay feet of would-be dictators.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She missed some tournaments early in the year with a foot injury before claiming a maiden clay title at a WTA 125 event in Paris.

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Related Words

• brick 
• earth 
• mud