sil

ochre clay

noun SIL Rare

Origin: Latin sil (ochreous earth)

Usage Note

Sil is a technical, dated term for a fine ochreous clay used in antiquity to make red or yellow pottery and as a natural pigment. It is rarely encountered outside specialist texts on geology, archaeology, or art history. Most learners will not meet this word in everyday French.

Examples

"Les anciens tiraient du sil des poteries rouges."

Natural Translation

The ancients made red pottery from ochre clay.

Literal Translation

The ancients drew from ochre-clay red pottery.

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