porcelain

porcelain
\ \ [16] The bizarre history of the word porcelain leads us back to a pig’s vagina. It was originally applied to fine china in Italian, as porcellana. This meant literally ‘cowrie shell’, and was used for the china in allusion to its shelllike sheen. Porcellana was a derivative of porcellalittle sow’, a diminutive form of porcasow’ (to which English pork is related), and was applied to cowrie shells because they supposedly resembled the external genitalia of female pigs.
\ \ English acquired the word via French porcelaine.
\ \ Cf.PORK

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Porcelain — Por ce*lain (277), n. [F. porcelaine, It. porcellana, orig., the porcelain shell, or Venus shell (Cypr[ae]a porcellana), from a dim. fr. L. porcus pig, probably from the resemblance of the shell in shape to a pig s back. Porcelain was called… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Porcelain — Chanson par Red Hot Chili Peppers extrait de l’album Californication Sortie Septembre 1999 Durée 2:43 Genre Ballade Format CD …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Porcelain — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Porcelain (Porcelana). Es el nombre de una canción electrónica del cantante Moby. Es la tercera canción de su álbum Play. Se empezó a vender en Reino Unido el 12 de junio de 2000 y alcanzó el número 5 en las… …   Wikipedia Español

  • porcelain — [pôr′sə lin, pôrs′lin] n. [Fr porcelaine < It porcellana, orig., a kind of shell < porcella, little pig, vulva (< L porcellus, dim. of porcus, pig, vulva): see FARROW1] 1. a hard, white, nonporous, translucent variety of ceramic ware,… …   English World dictionary

  • Porcelain —    Porcelain, or faience, production became a successful luxury industry during the 18th century. In 1705, the Dutchman Cornelis Mombaers founded a manufactory that blossomed under the direction of his son Philippe, who managed production from… …   Historical Dictionary of Brussels

  • porcelain — 1530s, from M.Fr. porcelaine, from It. porcellana porcelain (13c.), lit. cowrie shell, the chinaware so called from resemblance to the shiny surface of the shells. The shell s name in Italian is from porcella young sow, fem. of L. porcellus young …   Etymology dictionary

  • Porcelain — Por ce*lain, n. (Bot.) Purslain. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • porcelain — ► NOUN 1) a white vitrified translucent ceramic. 2) articles made of this. ORIGIN Italian porcellana cowrie shell , hence chinaware (from its resemblance to the polished surface of cowrie shells) …   English terms dictionary

  • Porcelain — Fine China redirects here. For the band, see Fine China (band). This article is about the ceramic material. For other uses, see Porcelain (disambiguation). Chinese moon flask, 1723 35, Qing Dynasty …   Wikipedia

  • porcelain — porcelaneous, porcellaneous /pawr seuh lay nee euhs, pohr /, adj. /pawr seuh lin, pohr ; pawrs lin, pohrs /, n. 1. a strong, vitreous, translucent ceramic material, biscuit fired at a low temperature, the glaze then fired at a very high… …   Universalium

  • porcelain — [[t]pɔ͟ː(r)səlɪn[/t]] porcelains 1) N UNCOUNT Porcelain is a hard, shiny substance made by heating clay. It is used to make delicate cups, plates, and ornaments. There were lilies everywhere in tall white porcelain vases. 2) N VAR A porcelain is… …   English dictionary

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