2026 Ceramics 18A / Vocab Test

Bat

A flat disc made out of plaster, wood, or plastic that is affixed to the wheel head with clay or pins. Bats are used to throw pieces on that would be difficult to lift off the wheel head.

Banding Wheel

A revolving wheelhead that sits on a pedestal base. It is turned by hand and used for finishing or decorating pottery.

Bisque Fire

First firing, without glaze. De Anza’s slips cannot be applied to bisque ware.

Bone Dry

Completely air-dried.

Burnishing

The ancient rubbing process of burnishing polishes the outside skin of a clay pot.

Calipers

A tool used to measure the diameter of round forms, for example calipers are used to get lids to fit just right.

Centering

Technique to move the clay in to a symmetrical rotating axis in the middle of a wheel head so you can throw it.

Clay

made of Alumina + silica + water. 

Clay body

A mixture of different types of clays and minerals for a specific ceramic purpose. For example, Porcelain is a translucent white clay body.

Coil

A piece of clay rolled like a rope, used in making pottery.

Compress

Pushing the clay down and together, forcing the particles of clay closer.

Cone

A pyramid composed of clay and glaze, made to melt and bend at specific temperatures. It is used in a kiln to determine the end of a firing.

Cone Pack

series of cones set in a piece of clay or a commercial holder. It consists of at least 3 cones: the cone below your target temperature, the target-temperature cone, and then the next higher cone.

Crawling

A bare spot (from the shrinking of a glaze) on a finished piece where oil or grease prevents the glaze from adhering to pottery.

Damper

A slab of refractory clay that is used to close or partially close the flue of a kiln.

Dry-Foot

To keep the foot or bottom of a pot free from glaze by waxing or removing the glaze.

Earthenware

A low fired clay body. Glazed pottery is fired to a temperature of 1,830

Flux

A melting agent causing silica to change into a glaze.

Foot

Base of a ceramic form.

Glaze

A layer or coating of a vitreous substance that has been fused to a ceramic object through firing.

Glaze firing

The final firing, with glaze.

Gloss Glaze

A shiny reflective gloss.

Greenware

Unfired pottery. Ready to be bisque fired. Greenware can be recycled.

Grog

Fired clay ground to various mesh sizes.

Homogeneous

of the same or a similar kind or nature

Kiln

A furnace of refractory clay bricks for firing pottery and for fusing glass.

Kiln Furniture

Refractory posts and shelves used for stacking pottery in the kiln for firing.

Leather Hard

Stage of the clay between plastic and bone dry. Clay is still damp enough to join it to other pieces using slip. For example, this is the stage handles are applied to mugs.

Matt Glaze

A dull glaze surface, not very reflective when fired.

Maturing Point

The temperature at which the clay becomes hard and durable.

Opaque Glaze

Non-transparent glaze, it covers the clay or glaze below it.

Oxidation

Firing with a full supply of oxygen. Electric kilns fire in oxidation.

Peephole

A small observation hole in the wall or door of a kiln.

Plasticity

The quality of clay that allows it to be manipulated into different shapes without cracking or breaking.

Potters Wheel

A device with either a manual (foot powered) or an electric rotating wheel head used to sit at and make pottery forms.

Pug Mill

A machine for mixing clay and recycling clay.

Reduction

Firing with reduced oxygen in the kiln.

Satin Glaze

A glaze with medium reflectance, between matt and gloss.

Slip

Clay mixed with water with a mayonnaise consistency. Used in casting and decoration.

Stain

Oxide and water, used as a colorant for bisque wear.

Stoneware

All ceramic wear fired between 2,100 and 2,300 degrees.

Transparent Glaze

Transmits light clearly.

Throwing

Creating ceramic shapes on the potter’s wheel.

Wedging

A method of kneading clay to make it homogenous by cutting and rolling.