noun
Common
potter
PO-tuh
Potter (noun) means a person who makes pots and other objects out of clay. Example: “My aunt is a potter, and she sells her bowls at the local market.”
noun
1
A person who makes pots and other objects out of clay.
"shoemakers, weavers, potters, bronzeworkers who produced and purveyed the articles necessary for daily life."
— J. A. Philip, Mimesis in the Sophistês of Plato, (1961)
"My aunt is a potter, and she sells her bowls at the local market."
"The village potter fired a fresh batch of mugs in his kiln."
"The potter shaped the clay on the wheel with practiced hands."
verb
1
To move about slowly, doing small, unhurried tasks.
"He’s so dreamy and absent-minded. He potters about the garden all the time."
— P. G. Wodehouse (1923)
""We love our little diesel trains. They potter up and down. They break down. The C6 overhaul is only a temporary answer. By the time they are replaced, they will be 45 years old."
— Paul Clifton, West of England Line problems laid bare (2026)
"I spent a quiet Sunday pottering about the house, tidying drawers."
"Grandad potters in his shed for hours, mending little things."
"He likes to potter around the garden on weekends."
How to use potter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who makes clay pots, or (as a verb, mainly British) to pass time doing small unhurried tasks.
UK vs US
The verb sense ('potter about') is mainly British; Americans would more often say 'putter around.'
Common pairings
potter around
potter about the house
skilled potter
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Word forms
- Plural
- potters
- Third person singular
- potters
- Past tense
- pottered
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
My aunt is a _____, and she sells her bowls at the local market.
Etymology
From Old English pottere, meaning pot-maker, formed from pot plus the agent suffix -er.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for potter
See all rhymes for potter →Frequently asked questions
What does “potter” mean?
The word “potter” means a person who makes pots and other objects out of clay. In plain terms, someone who makes clay pots, or (as a verb, mainly British) to pass time doing small unhurried tasks.
How do you pronounce “potter”?
“Potter” is pronounced PO-tuh (/ˈpɑtɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “potter” in a sentence?
Here is “potter” used in a sentence: “The potter shaped the clay on the wheel with practiced hands.”
What part of speech is “potter”?
Depending on how it is used, “potter” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “potter” come from?
The word “potter” comes from Old English. From Old English pottere, meaning pot-maker, formed from pot plus the agent suffix -er.
Is “potter” a common word?
“Potter” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “potter” have?
“Potter” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who makes pots and other objects out of clay.
What is the difference between "potter" and "putter"?
"Potter" is the British spelling of the verb meaning to move about doing small, unhurried tasks ("potter around the garden"), while American English uses "putter" for the same idea. As a noun, "potter" also means a person who makes clay pots, a meaning "putter" does not share.
Is a "potter" the same as a "ceramicist"?
They overlap but are not identical. A potter specifically makes pots and vessels from clay, often on a wheel, while a ceramicist is a broader term for anyone who makes objects — including sculpture and tiles — from fired clay.
