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pearl1

Pronunciation: /pəːl/

Translate pearl | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of pearl

noun

  • 1a hard, lustrous spherical mass, typically white or bluish-grey, formed within the shell of a pearl oyster or other bivalve mollusc and highly prized as a gem: a linen garment decorated with pearls [mass noun]:necklaces of amethyst and pearl [as modifier]:a pair of pearl earrings
  • an artificial imitation of a pearl.
  • (pearls) a necklace of pearls: tweeds look traditional teamed with twinset and pearls
  • something resembling a pearl:the sweat stood in pearls along his forehead
  • short for mother-of-pearl.
  • [mass noun] a very pale bluish grey or white colour like that of a pearl: [as modifier]:her dress was a lovely pearl grey
  • 2a person or thing of great worth:he has some pearls of wisdom to offer

verb

[no object]
  • 1 literary form pearl-like drops:the juice on the blade pearled into droplets
  • [with object] make bluish-grey:sunset pearling the sky above the hills
  • 2 (usually as noun pearling) dive or fish for pearl oysters: [as modifier]:the pearling industry

Phrases

cast pearls before swine

offer valuable things to people who do not appreciate them.
[with biblical allusion to Matt. 7:6]

Derivatives

pearler

noun

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French perle, perhaps based on Latin perna 'leg', extended to denote a leg-of-mutton-shaped bivalve

pearl in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of pearl in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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