Spanish Conversation · Level 93
60 words
Spanish word
arcilla
Pronunciation
IPA/aɾˈθiʝa/
Meaning
- feminine nounclay
Example
¿Dónde compraste esa arcilla?
Where did you buy that clay?
More examples
La arcilla para modelar está blanda y fácil de trabajar.
The modeling clay is soft and easy to work with.
Core concept
Plastic, fine-grained earth that hardens when fired for ceramics.
Common phrases
bloque de arcilla
block of clay
arcilla para modelar
modeling clay
pieza de arcilla
clay piece
Similar words
barro: Soft, wet earth that becomes sticky and holds molded shapes while moist.
lodo: Very wet, runny mud with high water content that flows and splashes.
tierra: Dry, loose soil forming the surface layer of the ground.
Definition in Spanish
Materia terrosa, fina y plástica que se puede modelar con las manos y que se endurece al cocer para fabricar piezas de cerámica.
Word origin
Derived from Latin argilla (from Greek argíllos), preserving the sense of a fine clay shaped by hand and then hardened by firing.
Usage tips
- When referring to finished objects, Spanish speakers say cerámica or pieza de barro rather than arcilla, because arcilla names the unfired material.