What does "faience" mean?

A type of tin-glazed earthenware ceramic, used domestically for tableware and in architecture as a decorative material.

What is a synonym for "faience"?

Common synonyms include: earthenware.

//ˈfaɪ.əns// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A type of tin-glazed earthenware ceramic, used domestically for tableware and in architecture as a decorative material. countable, uncountable
"The smile, you see, is perfect—wonderful / As mere Faience! a table ornament / To suit the richest mounting."
2
glazed earthenware decorated with opaque colors wordnet
3
Beads or small ornaments made from frit, from the eastern Mediterranean of the Bronze and Iron Ages. countable, uncountable
"Beneath these booths were spread their goods; silks from Cos, bronze weapons and copper rods, or ingots from the rich mines of Cyprus, linens and muslins from Egypt; beads, idols, carven bowls, knives, glass ware, pottery in all shapes, and charms made of glazed faience or Egyptian stone; […]."

"The smile, you see, is perfect—wonderful / As mere Faience! a table ornament / To suit the richest mounting."

From French faïence, named after the city of Faenza, Italy, where it was made in the 16th century.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.