B2nounsciencearts
US/kleɪ/
UK/kleɪ/
heavy, sticky earth that is soft when wet and hard when baked, used to make pots and bricks
In context
The potter shaped the wet clay into a bowl.
Heavy clay soil holds water and drains slowly after rain.
Archaeologists found ancient tablets made of baked clay.
Words that go with clay
noun + noun
- clay soilClay soil is hard to dig in dry weather.
- clay potRice cooked in a clay pot has a special flavor.
- clay tabletThe clay tablet is about four thousand years old.
adjective + noun
- wet clayWet clay is easy to shape by hand.
- baked clayThe bricks are made of baked clay.
verb + noun
- mold clayChildren enjoy molding clay into animals.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:
a clayCorrect: some clay