Kaolins

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of clay rich in kaolinite, commonly used in ceramics and pottery due to its whiteness and low shrinkage properties
2. A fine white clay that is primarily used in the manufacture of porcelain, paper, and cosmetics due to its smooth texture and plasticity
3. An alumino-silicate material known for its applications in various industries, particularly for its role as a filler and in ceramic production

Etymology: "Kaolins" is simply the plural of "kaolin", so it refers to several varieties or deposits of the clay. The clay itself takes its name from a village. Gaoling, or "High Ridge", in Jiangxi Province in southern China was the main source of fine white clay for Jingdezhen, the porcelain-making center, during the early to mid Qing dynasty. The name reached Europe through a Jesuit missionary, François Xavier d'Entrecolles, who wrote detailed reports on Chinese porcelain manufacture. He tried to render the local pronunciation of the Chinese term "gāolǐngtǔ", meaning "Gaoling earth", in French spelling, and his irregular romanization became "kaolin". Because the village's clay was so prized for porcelain, the place name ended up standing for the material everywhere.