What is "china ware"

Porcelain \Por"ce*lain\ (277), n. [F. porcelaine, It. porcellana, orig., the porcelain shell, or Venus shell (Cypr[ae]a porcellana), from a dim. fr. L. porcus pig, probably from the resemblance of the shell in shape to a pig's back. Porcelain was called after this shell, either on account of its smoothness and whiteness, or because it was believed to be made from it. See Pork.] A fine translucent or semitransculent kind of earthenware, made first in China and Japan, but now also in Europe and America; -- called also China, or China ware.

Porcelain, by being pure, is apt to break.
--Dryden.

Ivory porcelain, porcelain with a surface like ivory, produced by depolishing. See Depolishing.

Porcelain clay. See under Clay.

Porcelain crab (Zo["o]l.), any crab of the genus Porcellana and allied genera (family Porcellanid[ae]). They have a smooth, polished carapace.

Porcelain jasper. (Min.) See Porcelanite.

Porcelain printing, the transferring of an impression of an engraving to porcelain.

Porcelain shell (Zo["o]l.), a cowry.

China ware \China ware\, chinaware \chinaware\n. dishes made of china; porcelain; -- so called in the 17th century because brought from the far East, and differing from the pottery made in Europe at that time; also, loosely, crockery in general.