faience

or fa·ïence

[ fahy-ahns, fey-; French fa-yahns ]

noun

1. glazed earthenware or pottery, especially a fine variety with highly colored designs.

faïence

/ feɪ-; faɪˈɑːns /

noun

1. 1. tin-glazed earthenware, usually that of French, German, Italian, or Scandinavian origin
   2. ( as modifier )

      a faïence cup

Word History and Origins

Origin of faience¹

1705–15; < French, originally pottery of Faenza, city in northern Italy

Word History and Origins

Origin of faience¹

C18: from French, strictly: pottery from Faenza

Example Sentences

The pharaoh is deep turquoise — the color of Egyptian faience — as is the wall behind him, which is incised with hieroglyphs.

From New York Times

But what about the cute little faience hippo in the same vitrine?

From New York Times

The site contains a large number of ovens and kilns for making glass and faience, along with the debris of thousands of statues, said Betsy Bryan, a specialist of Amenhotep III’s reign.

From Reuters

His motifs were transferred onto white Creil-Montereau faience in a complex process that involved laying the cut-out proofs on the ceramic blanks and putting them in the kiln.

From New York Times

The jewelry maker Arline Fisch’s fellowship in Denmark inspired her to drape Egyptian faience beads from a silver filigree jellyfish.

From New York Times