kaolin

Where does the word "kaolin" come from? It comes from Chinese Gāolǐng, passing through French before entering English (1727).

Kaolin’s story begins in Chinese: Gāolǐng meant “'high ridge', a place name and source of porcelain clay.” The name of a hill in Jiangxi province where fine white clay was mined for porcelain. By 1712, the word had taken hold in French as kaolin. Transliterated by a Jesuit missionary reporting on Chinese porcelain manufacture. It reached English by 1727 as kaolin. Named after Gaoling hill near Jingdezhen, China's porcelain capital; described by the Jesuit Père d'Entrecolles in 1712. Today, kaolin means a fine, white clay mineral used in porcelain, paper, and cosmetics.

1. Stage 1 · Chinese · ancient Gāolǐng "'high ridge', a place name and source of porcelain clay", the name of a hill in Jiangxi province where fine white clay was mined for porcelain.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1712 kaolin "fine white clay used to make porcelain", transliterated by a Jesuit missionary reporting on Chinese porcelain manufacture.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1727 kaolin "a fine white clay used in porcelain and other products", named after Gaoling hill near Jingdezhen, China's porcelain capital; described by the Jesuit Père d'Entrecolles in 1712.