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Definition of pottage

pottage

/ˈpɒt.ɪdʒ/
pot · tage
Plural:pottages
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pottage Lexical Profile

pottage Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A thick soup, stew, or porridge made by boiling vegetables, grains, and sometimes meat or fish in water.

Example

"During the Middle Ages, peasant families subsisted largely on dark bread and a daily bowl of vegetable pottage."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for pottage

Word Nuance & Usage

In modern usage, 'pottage' is primarily archaic or historical, appearing most frequently in the biblical idiom 'a mess of pottage' (from the story of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob), which refers to an immediate, trivial material comfort accepted in exchange for something of lasting value.

• Nearby Words

potpourri
potshot
potsticker
pottage
potted
potter
pottery

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in Middle English from Old French 'potage', literally meaning 'that which is put into a pot', from 'pot' (cooking vessel).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pottage. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pottage
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