terra alba

Meaning

A white earthy substance consisting of burnt gypsum and aluminium silicate (kaolin), or some similar ingredient, such as magnesia. It is sometimes used to adulterate certain foods, spices, candies, paints, etc.

Synonyms

kaolin

kaoline

china clay

pipeclay

porcelain clay

china stone

gypsum powder

land plaster

Translations

kaolin

caolí

Kaolin

Porzellanerde

porcelaine

caolino

kaolien

porseleinaarde

caolín

argila blanca

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin terra (“earth”) + alba (“white”), literally meaning "white earth". Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ters-.