- mother-of-pearl
- noun Date: circa 1510 the hard pearly iridescent substance forming the inner layer of a mollusk shell
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
mother-of-pearl
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mother-of-pearl — [muth′ərəv pʉrl′] n. [transl. of ML mater perlarum: orig. applied to the marine animal, later to the shell] the hard, pearly internal layer of certain marine shells, as of the pearl oyster or abalone, which is used in the arts, in making pearl… … English World dictionary
Mother-of-pearl — Moth er of pearl , n. (Zo[ o]l.) The hard, iridescent, pearly internal layer of several kinds of shells, esp. of pearl oysters, river mussels, and the abalone shells; nacre. See {Pearl}. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
mother of pearl — (n.) c.1500, translating M.L. mater perlarum, with the first element perhaps connected in popular imagination with obsolete MOTHER (Cf. mother) (n.2) dregs. Cf. It. madreperla, Fr. mère perle, Du. parelmoer, Ger. Perlmutter, Dan. perlemor … Etymology dictionary
mother-of-pearl — n [U] a pale coloured hard smooth shiny substance that forms the inside of some ↑shellfish, and is used for making buttons, jewellery etc … Dictionary of contemporary English
mother-of-pearl — noun uncount the shiny layer inside some shells, used for making buttons, jewelry, etc … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
mother-of-pearl — ► NOUN ▪ a smooth pearly substance lining the shells of oysters, abalones, and certain other molluscs … English terms dictionary
mother-of-pearl — noun the iridescent internal layer of a mollusk shell • Syn: ↑nacre • Derivationally related forms: ↑nacreous (for: ↑nacre) • Hypernyms: ↑shell * * * ˌmother of ˈpearl … Useful english dictionary
mother-of-pearl — /mudh euhr euhv perrl /, n. 1. a hard, iridescent substance that forms the inner layer of certain mollusk shells, used for making buttons, beads, etc.; nacre. adj. 2. of or having the qualities of mother of pearl, as being iridescent or pearly:… … Universalium
mother-of-pearl — also mother of pearl N UNCOUNT Mother of pearl is the shiny layer on the inside of some shells. It is used to make buttons or to decorate things … English dictionary
mother-of-pearl — perlamutras statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Dvigeldžių moliuskų kriauklės vidinis sluoksnis, susidedantis iš plonų aragonito plokštelių. atitikmenys: angl. mother of pearl; nacre; pearl vok. Perlmutter, f rus. перламутр, m … Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas
mother-of-pearl — 1. adjective Made from or looking like mother of pearl; iridescent or pearly. 2. noun The hard pearly inner layer of certain mollusk shells; nacre. Syn: nacre … Wiktionary
