potter's field: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareFormal, Literary, Religious
Quick answer
What does “potter's field” mean?
A burial ground for unknown, indigent, or criminal persons.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A burial ground for unknown, indigent, or criminal persons.
A place, institution, or situation where things or people of little perceived value are discarded or forgotten.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. More likely to be encountered in British historical or religious texts; in American English, it may also refer specifically to the biblical story.
Connotations
Both carry strong historical/religious connotations. British usage may lean slightly more towards literal, historical graveyards; American usage may be more metaphorical.
Frequency
Equally rare in both varieties; primarily found in theological, historical, or literary contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “potter's field” in a Sentence
[be/lie] in a potter's field[be buried/consigned] to a potter's fieldthe potter's field of [metaphorical place]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “potter's field” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The potter's-field burials were recorded in the parish ledger.
American English
- They discovered a potter's-field site during the urban excavation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorical: 'The failed projects were relegated to the company's potter's field.'
Academic
Used in historical, theological, and sociological texts discussing burial practices, poverty, or social marginalization.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Specific term in archaeology, history, and forensic anthropology for certain types of burial sites.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “potter's field”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “potter's field”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “potter's field”
- Misspelling as 'potter's field' (missing apostrophe). Using it to refer to any cemetery instead of specifically one for the indigent/unknown.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It originates from the Bible (Matthew 27:7), referring to a field bought by priests with Judas Iscariot's returned betrayal money to bury strangers.
Yes, primarily in historical, archaeological, and literary contexts. Some cities still have 'Potter's Field' areas in municipal cemeteries.
Yes, it is often used to describe a place or situation where unwanted or forgotten things are discarded (e.g., 'the potter's field of outdated ideas').
A potter's field is specifically for the indigent or unknown and may contain individual (though unmarked) graves. A mass grave is a single pit for many bodies, often due to disaster or atrocity, regardless of identity or wealth.
A burial ground for unknown, indigent, or criminal persons.
Potter's field is usually formal, literary, religious in register.
Potter's field: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɒtəz fiːld/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɑːt̬ərz fiːld/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “consigned to a potter's field (metaphorically forgotten)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a POTTER shaping clay; a Potter's Field is where the 'unshaped' or unwanted people (like leftover clay) are finally laid.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A POTTER; THE UNWANTED/POOR ARE WORTHLESS FRAGMENTS (discarded into a field).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a 'potter's field'?