ceramic

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κεραμικός (keramikós, “potter's”), from κέραμος (kéramos, “potter's clay”), perhaps from a pre-Hellenic word or from Proto-Indo-European *kerh₂- (“to heat, burn, fire”).

adj

1. Made of material produced by the high-temperature firing of inorganic, nonmetallic rocks and minerals.
   A ceramic vase stood on the table.

noun

1. (uncountable) A hard, brittle, inorganic, nonmetallic material, usually made from a material, such as clay, then firing it at a high tempature.
   Joan made the dish from ceramic.
2. (countable) An object made of this material
   Joe had dozens of ceramics in his apartment.