1. ceramic material: a hard translucent ceramic material used for making plates, cups, and other items
(
often used before a noun
)
2. items made of porcelain: objects made of porcelain, e.g. expensive crockery or decorative figurines
3. decorative object: a single object made from porcelain, especially a decorative object
[Mid-16th century. Via French< Italian porcellana "cowrie shell," (from its texture) "porcelain," literally "like a young sow" (because of the shell's shape) < porca "sow" < form of Latin porcus "pig"]
