Mother-of-pearl
1mother-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… …
2Mother-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] …
3mother 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 …
4mother-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 …
5mother-of-pearl — noun uncount the shiny layer inside some shells, used for making buttons, jewelry, etc …
6mother-of-pearl — ► NOUN ▪ a smooth pearly substance lining the shells of oysters, abalones, and certain other molluscs …
7mother-of-pearl — noun the iridescent internal layer of a mollusk shell • Syn: ↑nacre • Derivationally related forms: ↑nacreous (for: ↑nacre) • Hypernyms: ↑shell * * * ˌmother of ˈpearl …
8mother-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:… …
9mother-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 …
10mother-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 …
