English · Word Candidate

clay

/kleɪ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: clays · claying · clayed

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

chất khoáng gồm tinh thể silicat và nhôm oxit

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

Three chairs of the steamer type, all maimed, comprised the furniture of this roof-garden, with (by way of local color) on one of the copings a row of four red clay flower-pots filled with sun-baked dust […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

An earth material with ductile qualities.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

vật liệu đất dẻo

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To add clay to, to spread clay onto.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

trộn đất sét vào

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To purify using clay.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

làm sạch bằng đất sét

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Verb

Examples

1776, Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Book IV, Chapter 7: Of Colonies, Part 2: Causes of Prosperity of New Colonies, They amounted, therefore, to a prohibition, at first of claying or refining sugar for any foreign market, and at present of claying or refi

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “clay” mean?

A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.

Is “clay” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.