nacre

[ ney-ker ]

noun

1. mother-of-pearl.

nacre

/ ˈneɪkə /

noun

1. the technical name for mother-of-pearl

nacre

/ nā′kər /

1. See mother-of-pearl

Derived Forms

• ˈnacred, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nacre¹

1590–1600; < Medieval Latin nacrum, nacer, variant of nacara < Old Italian naccara kind of drum, nacre < Arabic naqqārah drum

Word History and Origins

Origin of nacre¹

C16: via French from Old Italian naccara, from Arabic naqqārah shell, drum

Example Sentences

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

A well-known example is nacre, which is used in jewellery because of its iridescent colours.

From Science Daily

However, the exact processes and conditions that lead to nacre, a composite of biopolymers and platelets of crystalline calcium carbonate, are the subject of intense debate among experts, and different theories exist.

From Science Daily

The mollusc deposits layers of aragonite and conchiolin, which together form nacre, also know as mother-of-pearl.

From BBC

I see now that my myths — that I was spontaneously generated, or carefully selected, or launched like a girl-Moses of the North Sea — are nothing more than layers of nacre that my mind has applied to create a pearl out of the sharp-edged fact of my abandonment.

From Salon