mother-of-pearl

[ muhth-er-uhv-purl ]

noun

1. a hard, iridescent substance that forms the inner layer of certain mollusk shells, used for making buttons, beads, etc.; nacre.

adjective

1. of or having the qualities of mother-of-pearl, as being iridescent or pearly:

   mother-of-pearl buttons.

mother-of-pearl

noun

1. a hard iridescent substance, mostly calcium carbonate, that forms the inner layer of the shells of certain molluscs, such as the oyster. It is used to make buttons, inlay furniture, etc Also callednacre nacreous

mother-of-pearl

1. The hard, smooth, pearly layer on the inside of certain seashells, such as abalones and certain oysters. It is used to make buttons and jewelry.
2. Also called nacre

Word History and Origins

Origin of mother-of-pearl¹

1500–10; compare Italian madreperla, obsolete French mère perle

Example Sentences

Grande is so clearly in her Glinda era with her blonde ponytail almost matching the shade of her mother-of-pearl gown made by Loewe.

From Salon

Nacre, the iridescent mother-of-pearl inside the shells of marine mussels and other mollusks, is exceptionally tough: it can deform without breaking.

From Science Daily

BBC Weather presenter Simon King explained the clouds are some of the highest in the Earth's atmosphere and are often referred to as "mother-of-pearl".

From BBC

One of the highest clouds in our atmosphere, they are often referred to as "mother-of-pearl", and are rarely spotted in the UK because of the exceptional conditions needed.

From BBC

Of course you can, old sport, in a Gatsby-branded collared shirt with mother-of-pearl buttons.

From New York Times