bone ash

noun

1. a white ash obtained by calcining bones, used as a fertilizer and in the making of bone china.

bone ash

noun

1. the residue obtained when bones are burned in air, consisting mainly of calcium phosphate. It is used as a fertilizer and in the manufacture of bone china

Word History and Origins

Origin of bone ash¹

First recorded in 1615–25

Example Sentences

And speaking of bone, the English refined traditional porcelain by using crushed bone or bone ash in the clay mix for a whiter, brighter finish that we know as “bone china.”

From Seattle Times

The English artist Thomas Frye first experimented with bone ash — the remnants after water, fat and connective tissue are burned off — before Spode fine-tuned the process, creating a durable but delicate product.

From New York Times

Connor said she hopes knowing that some of the samples are, in fact, cremains of bone ash will bring some closure to families who received those results.

From Washington Times

It’s a water-and-chemical solution that basically washes remains away, leaving bone ash similar to that of a regular cremation.

From Washington Times

The railways transported thousands of tons of bones to the Michigan Carbon Works, in Detroit, which produced four thousand tons of bone ash and five thousand tons of bone black in one year.

From The New Yorker