a fusible feldspathic mineral used in hard-paste porcelain; china stone
Word origin
C18: from Chinese (Beijing) pe tun tzu, from pe white + tun heap + tzu offspring
petuntse in American English
(pɪˈtuntse, Chinese ˈbɔˈdʌnˈdzʌ)
noun
a type of feldspar, used in certain porcelains
Also: petuntze
Word origin
[1720–30; ‹ Chin (Wade-Giles) pai2tun1tzŭ0, (pinyin) bái dùnzi white mound]This word is first recorded in the period 1720–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: arrangement, cordon bleu, deadwood, fantail, saloon