potter

1 of 2

noun

pot·​ter ˈpä-tər How to pronounce potter (audio)
: one that makes pottery

potter

2 of 2

verb

pottered; pottering; potters
potterer noun
potteringly adverb

Examples of potter in a Sentence

Verb pottering around indoors on a rainy day
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Read more Harry potter Paapa Essiedu Cast as Snape in 'Harry Potter' Series Sparks Backlash Paapa Essiedu will be playing Severus Snape, the Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025 From the enslaved potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina, to Ann Lowe, the couture dressmaker who made Jacqueline Kennedy's wedding dress, to Gullah Geechee sweetgrass basket makers, to the quilters of Gee's Bend. Troy McMullen, ABC News, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
One rainy afternoon, the kindly octogenarian — wrapped in a warm leopard print jumper — stops pottering around and sinks into her favorite chair to call her daughter. David Opie, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2025 This was a frequent chorus from my siblings and me as children, as our grandmother pottered about the kitchen chewing on a stick that looked a bit like sugarcane, fixing a drink brewed with honey and lemon. Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for potter

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably frequentative of English dialect pote to poke

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of potter was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Potter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potter. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

potter

1 of 2 noun
pot·​ter ˈpät-ər How to pronounce potter (audio)
: one that makes pottery

potter

2 of 2 verb
potterer noun

Biographical Definition

Potter 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

Pot·​ter ˈpä-tər How to pronounce Potter (audio)
Beatrix 1866–1943 British writer and illustrator

Potter

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

Paul or Paulus 1625–1654 Dutch painter

More from Merriam-Webster on potter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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