potter

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   work lightly

   The old lady is pottering around in the garden.

2. 2
   noun

   One who makes pots and other ceramic wares.

   Shoemakers, weavers, potters, bronzeworkers who produced and purveyed the articles necessary for daily life.

3. 3
   noun

   One who hawks crockery or earthenware.

   The convivial society of gipsies, tinkers, potters, strolling players, &c.

4. 4
   verb

   To move slowly or aimlessly. (Often potter about, potter around.)

   He’s so dreamy and absent-minded. He potters about the garden all the time.

From Middle English pottere, from Old English pottere (“potter”, in placenames), from Proto-West Germanic *pottārī (“pot-maker”), equivalent to pot + -er. Influenced by Anglo-Norman poter, Old French potier (“potter”). Cognate with Dutch potter (“potter”), German Low German Pötter, Pütter (“potter”). Displaced Old English synonyms lāmwyrhta (“a worker in clay, potter”, literally “loam-worker”), tiġelwyrhta (“brickmaker, potter”, literally “tile-worker”), crocwyrhta (“crocker, potter”, literally “crock-worker”).

Topics