From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpotterpot‧ter1 /ˈpɒtə $ ˈpɑːtər/ noun [countable] TIPBOsomeone who makes pots, dishes etc out of clay
Examples from the Corpus
potter• In 1923 he married Alice, a potter.• These daughters of a potter were offered a considerable amount of money for their earthenware.• A perfectly formed loaf brings the same satisfaction to its baker as does a perfectly thrown pot to a potter.• His wife and 28-year-old daughter are both potters.• The potter has signed his name Alletio on a raised panel.• Two years ago a young potter friend, Vivienne Newton, benefited from the Prince's Trust.potterpotter2 (also potter about/around) verb [intransitive] British English to spend time doing pleasant things that are not important without hurrying SYN putter American English I spent the morning pottering about in the garden. —potterer noun [countable]→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
potter• Well worth a couple of days pottering.• He spent an hour pottering about the gutted flat while Wiechert complained that he wanted his dinner.• After leaving the Mirror, Thornton returned to his Lincolnshire home to potter about with his prize heifers.• So Sunday I was nursing myself until you came knocking on my door, and Monday I spent here, pottering about.• They may potter round at about £70,000 or £80,000, then a sudden large donation takes the income up to £140,000.• Everyone on the site seemed to be out of doors, pottering round their tiny gardens, or lolling on the parched grass.• Boats and ferries potter the local coves and islands if you haven't done enough pottering in our own craft.Origin potter1 1. (1000-1100) pot2. (1800-1900) → POTTER2 potter2 (1500-1600) pote “to push” (OE-C19)