clay
a natural earthy material that is plastic when wet, consisting essentially of hydrated silicates of aluminum: used for making bricks, pottery, etc.
earth; mud.
earth, especially regarded as the material from which the human body was formed.
the human body, especially as distinguished from the spirit or soul; the flesh.
human character as estimated according to fineness of constitution, endowments, etc.: The saints and heroes seem of a different clay from most of us.
to treat or mix with clay; cover, daub, or fill with clay.
to filter through clay.
Origin of clay
1Other words from clay
- clay·like, adjective
- un·clayed, adjective
Other definitions for Clay (2 of 2)
Bertha M. Charlotte Monica Braeme, 1836–84, English author: originator of a long series of romantic novels.
Cassius Marcellus, 1810–1903, U.S. antislavery leader and diplomat.
Cassius Marcellus, Jr., original name of Muhammad Ali.
Henry, 1777–1852, U.S. statesman and orator.
Lucius (Du·Bi·gnon) [doo-bin-yon], /ˌdu bɪnˈyɒn/, 1897–1978, U.S. general.
a male given name.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use clay in a sentence
Creeping cautiously up to the wall, the caçadores peeped through the unclayed chinks of the cabin.
The Maroon | Mayne Reid
British Dictionary definitions for clay (1 of 2)
/ (kleɪ) /
a very fine-grained material that consists of hydrated aluminium silicate, quartz, and organic fragments and occurs as sedimentary rocks, soils, and other deposits. It becomes plastic when moist but hardens on heating and is used in the manufacture of bricks, cement, ceramics, etc: Related adjective: figuline
earth or mud in general
poetic the material of the human body
(tr) to cover or mix with clay
Origin of clay
1Derived forms of clay
- clayey, clayish or claylike, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for Clay (2 of 2)
/ (kleɪ) /
Cassius: See Muhammad Ali
Henry. 1777–1852, US statesman and orator; secretary of state (1825–29)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for clay
[ klā ]
A stiff, sticky sedimentary material that is soft and pliable when wet and consists mainly of various silicates of aluminum. Clay particles are smaller than silt, having a diameter less than 0.0039 mm. Clay is widely used to make bricks, pottery, and tiles.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with clay
In addition to the idiom beginning with clay
- clay pigeon
also see:
- feet of clay
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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