Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pot boiler

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.63 in modern English

Syllables: pot boil-er
IPA

13

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A creative work of low quality (book, art, etc.), produced merely to earn a living or for profit, as opposed to serious creative expression.

Derogatory

noun

A stone used to transfer heat from a fire into a vessel of water, so as to heat the contents.

Example Sentences

"Arists and novelists of a certain stamp joke about ‘pot-boilers’, the name facetiously given to hasty, worthless pictures and books[…]"
"No man is a success in business unless he loves his work. The picture the artist paints for love is his greatest work. The pot-boiler is always something to live down."
"A limp, sudsy adaptation of James Hadley Chase’s 1945 novel “Eve” (a potboiler that Joseph Losey once spun into a Jeanne Moreau vehicle of the same name), “Eva” begins with an engaging sequence that instantly sets the tone by subverting its own beauty."

Etymology

The figurative sense comes from the notion that the writer's or artist's output is enough to provide sustenance; compare breadwinner, put food on the table, and keep the lights on.

Usage

Derogatory

Inflected Forms

pot boilers (plural) potboiler (alternative) pot-boiler (alternative)

Questions

What does pot boiler mean?: A creative work of low quality (book, art, etc.), produced merely to earn a living or for profit, as opposed to serious creative expression.
Where does pot boiler come from?: The figurative sense comes from the notion that the writer's or artist's output is enough to provide sustenance; compare breadwinner, put food on the table, and keep the lights on.

How to pronounce pot boiler

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pot boiler”.
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