Reference
Glossary of ceramics
52 terms gathered from across our articles — from the chemistry of firing to the vocabulary of the saleroom. Each links to the pieces where it appears.
A
engineered ceramics designed for precise electrical, thermal, or biological performance
aluminium oxide blended with zirconia for Apple's signature white tone
screen showing time continuously without requiring wrist movement
B
ceramic material biocompatible enough to bond with living bone tissue
high-purity ceramics engineered for biocompatible use inside the human body
20th-century movement emphasising individual artistic expression over industrial pottery
Small vessel used to rinse calligraphy or painting brushes
Additional percentage fee charged to the winning auction bidder
C
overall shape and profile of a watch case, affecting durability
Art made from clay and hardened by firing, spanning functional and sculptural forms
engineered ceramic combinations outperforming metals in weight-critical applications
porous ceramic filter used in water treatment and separation processes
Inorganic, non-metallic solids shaped and hardened by heat
resistance to chemical reactions, preventing contamination or material degradation
Hand-shaping clay by stacking and blending rope-like coils
Present-day ceramic practice blurring craft, design, and fine art boundaries
E
low-fire clay body, porous unless vitrified at higher temperatures
F
magnetic ceramic compounds used in inductors, transformer cores, and antennas
clay-based material hardened by high-temperature kiln or furnace
ceramics that perform an active electrical or mechanical role
G
temperature at which a solid material shifts into a pliable, molten-like state
Glassy coating fused onto ceramic surfaces for sealing or decoration
Applying a glassy coating to clay, fired to create waterproof surface
H
Ceramic barrier protecting spacecraft from extreme re-entry temperatures
I
Fine network of surface cracks in ceramic glaze, prized decoratively
Ceramics produced exclusively for use by the Chinese imperial court
L
M
Ceramic glaze of a single uniform colour
N
materials engineered at molecular scale with particles under 100 nanometres
ceramics based on carbides, nitrides, or borides rather than oxides
Chinese imperial period approximately 960–1127 CE
O
ceramics composed of metal oxides, such as alumina or zirconia
P
Ceramic device trapping soot particles from diesel engine exhaust
change in a material's crystal structure used to enhance toughness
ceramics that convert mechanical stress into electrical signals and vice versa
additive that increases flexibility and workability in a film or polymer matrix
Rotating disc enabling symmetrical, round vessel formation
Broken fragments of ancient fired clay vessels used in archaeological study
Q
rapid cooling of a material to lock in desired microstructural properties
R
protective ceramic housing enclosing a radar antenna on aircraft or ships
Heat-resistant ceramic material used to line furnaces and kilns
Rare Song dynasty imperial Chinese stoneware with blue-green glaze
S
single-crystal aluminium oxide used for scratch-resistant display covers
heat-and-pressure process fusing ceramic powder into solid, dense form
case extensions where watch bands attach, helping absorb edge impacts
material conducting electricity with essentially zero electrical resistance
T
technique spreading a thin ceramic slurry into uniform flat sheets using a precise blade
controlled reheating after quenching to reduce brittleness in a material
V
Fired at high temperature until glassy and non-porous
W
Z
zirconium dioxide ceramic powder sintered into hard, dense watch cases