porcelain goddess

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɔːsəlɪn ˈɡɒdɛs/, /-ɪs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɔɹsəlɪn ˈɡɑdəs/, /ˈpɔɹslɪn ˈɡɑdəs/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: por‧ce‧lain god‧dess

Noun

porcelain goddess (plural porcelain goddesses)

1. (figurative) metaphor for a woman, often stressing paleness, delicateness or lack of emotion.
   • 2012, Julie Lessman, A Love Surrendered:

     It was a breathless whisper from a porcelain goddess, pale cheeks accentuating striking blue eyes and glossy pink lips, full and parted with shallow breaths.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see porcelain,‎ goddess.
   • 1826, Robert Morrison, A Parting Memorial:

     In China, there is not a street, nor a shop, nor a palace, nor a hovel, nor a college, nor a poor fisherman's boat, that has not an idol; a carved image of wood, or a porcelain goddess, or a molten divinity of clay, or a literary god of bronze [...]

3. (idiomatic, humorous, chiefly in the singular) A toilet bowl.

   Synonym: porcelain god

Related terms

• pray to the porcelain goddess
• worship the porcelain goddess