Keramos

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of clay, often used in pottery and ceramics, that becomes hardened when fired
2. A natural earth material that is shaped and then hardened through the process of heat application in ceramic art
3. A substance derived from the earth, utilized for crafting functional or decorative objects by shaping and heating it to achieve durability

Etymology: Ancient Greek "keramos" meant potter's clay, and it also named the potter's craft itself, the earth turned into vessels by hand and fire. The word is ultimately connected to a root meaning "to mix" or "to blend", a reminder that the earliest potters were essentially kneading water into earth before anything else happened to it. The most famous descendant of the word is the Kerameikos, the potters' quarter of ancient Athens, which lay just outside the city walls and took its name from the clay-workers who lived and fired their kilns there. Its name survives in the English word "ceramic", which entered the language through the adjective "ceramic", the Greek word's derivative, and the noun "ceramics" that followed it.

Synonyms: ceramics, pottery, clayware