pearl

pearl

a gem; yellowish white color

Not to be confused with:

purl – to knit with a purl stitch; to edge with lace or embroidery

Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

pearl ¹

 (pûrl)

n.

1.

a. A smooth, lustrous, variously colored mass, chiefly of calcium carbonate, formed around a grain of sand or other foreign matter inside the shell of certain bivalve mollusks and valued as a gem.

b. A bead resembling one of these masses.

2. Something small and spherical in shape: "pearls of sweat beading on her upper lip" (Katherine Min).

3. Mother-of-pearl; nacre.

4. One that is highly regarded for its beauty or value.

5. Printing A type size measuring approximately five points.

6. A yellowish white.

v. pearled, pearl·ing, pearls

v.tr.

1. To decorate or cover with pearls or beads resembling pearls.

2. To make into the shape or color of pearls.

v.intr.

1. To dive or fish for pearls or pearl-bearing mollusks.

2. To form beads resembling pearls.

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[Middle English perle, from Old French, from Latin *pernula, diminutive of perna, ham, seashell (from the shape of the shell).]

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pearl ²

 (pûrl)

v. & n.

Variant of purl².

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pearl

(pɜːl)

n

1. (Jewellery) a hard smooth lustrous typically rounded structure occurring on the inner surface of the shell of a clam or oyster: consists of calcium carbonate secreted in layers around an invading particle such as a sand grain; much valued as a gem.

2. (Jewellery) any artificial gem resembling this

3. (Elements & Compounds) See mother-of-pearl

4. (Zoology) See mother-of-pearl

5. a person or thing that is like a pearl, esp in beauty or value

6. (Colours) a pale greyish-white colour, often with a bluish tinge

7. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 5 point

adj

8. (Jewellery) of, made of, or set with pearl or mother-of-pearl

9. having the shape or colour of a pearl

vb

10. (Jewellery) (tr) to set with or as if with pearls

11. to shape into or assume a pearl-like form or colour

12. (intr) to dive or search for pearls

[C14: from Old French, from Vulgar Latin pernula (unattested), from Latin perna sea mussel]

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pearl

(pɜːl)

n, vb

(Knitting & Sewing) a variant spelling of purl¹², purl¹³, purl¹⁵

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pearl

(pɜrl)

n.

1. a smooth, rounded bead, composed chiefly of aragonite, formed around an irritating foreign body within the shells of oysters and other mollusks: valued as a gem when lustrous and finely colored.

2. something resembling this, as various synthetic substances used in costume jewelry.

3. something similar in form or luster.

4. something precious or choice: pearls of wisdom.

5. a very pale gray, often with a bluish tinge.

6. mother-of-pearl.

7. a 5-point type.

v.t.

8. to adorn with or as if with pearls.

9. to make like a pearl, as in form or color.

v.i.

10. to dive or search for pearls.

11. to assume a pearllike form or appearance.

adj.

12. of or resembling a pearl.

13. set or adorned with or consisting of pearls or mother-of-pearl.

14. having or reduced to small, round grains.

[1300–50; Middle English perle < Middle French < Italian or Vulgar Latin *perla (> German Perle, Old English pærl), for Latin *pernula, diminutive of perna sea mussel]

pearl′er, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

pearl

(pûrl)

A smooth, slightly iridescent, white or grayish rounded growth inside the shells of some mollusks. A pearl, which forms as a reaction to the presence of a foreign particle, consists of thin layers of mother-of-pearl that are deposited around the particle. The pearls of oysters are often valued as gems.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pearl

Past participle: pearled
Gerund: pearling

Imperative

pearl

pearl

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	pearl - a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel jewel, precious stone, gem - a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry seed pearl - a small imperfect pearl
	2.	pearl - a shade of white the color of bleached bones off-white, ivory, bone whiteness, white - the quality or state of the achromatic color of greatest lightness (bearing the least resemblance to black)
	3.	pearl - a shape that is spherical and small; "he studied the shapes of low-viscosity drops"; "beads of sweat on his forehead" drop, bead sphere - a solid figure bounded by a spherical surface (including the space it encloses) dewdrop - a drop of dew teardrop - anything shaped like a falling drop (as a pendant gem on an earring)
Verb	1.	pearl - gather pearls, from oysters in the ocean gather, pull together, collect, garner - assemble or get together; "gather some stones"; "pull your thoughts together"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

pearl

noun

Related words
adjectives margaric, margaritic

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

pearl

noun

Someone or something considered exceptionally precious:

gem, prize, treasure.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

لُؤلُؤةٌلُؤْلُؤَه

perlaperlový

perle

PerlePerlen-...

μαργαριτάρι

perla

مروارید

helmi

perleperlesemperler

मोती

biser

gyöngy

perla

perla

真珠

진주

margarita

kaip perlaiperlų ieškotojas/gaudytojas

pērle

parel

perleperlemor

perła

pérola

жемчугжемчужина

perla

biser

biserбисер

pärla

ไข่มุก

inci

موتی

ngọc trai

珍珠

pearl

[pəːl]

A. N → perla f; (= mother-of-pearl) → nácar m, madreperla f
pearl of wisdom (fig) → joya f de sabiduría
to cast pearls before swine → echar margaritas a los cerdos

B. CPD [earring, button] → de perla(s); (in colour) → color de perla
pearl barley N → cebada f perlada
pearl diver N → pescador(a) m/f de perlas
pearl necklace N → collar m de perlas
pearl oyster N → ostra f perlífera

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

pearl

[ˈpɜː^rl]

n (= precious stone) → perle f
pearls of wisdom (= wise words) → sages paroles fpl
to cast pearls before swine → donner de la confiture aux cochons

modif [brooch, earrings] → orné(e) de perles pearl necklacepearl barley n → orge m perlépearl button n → bouton m de nacrepearl grey n → gris m perle invpearl-grey [ˌpɜː^rlˈgreɪ] adj → gris perle invpearl necklace n → collier m de perlespear-shaped [ˈpɛə^rʃeɪpt] adj

[object] → en forme de poire

[woman] to be pear-shaped → être large des hanches

to go pear-shaped (= go wrong) → se gâter

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

pearl

:

pearl barley

n → Perlgraupen pl

pearl-blue

adj → silberblau

pearl fisher

n → Perlenfischer(in) m(f)

pearl fishing

n → Perlenfischerei f

pearl-grey

adj → silbergrau

pearl-handled

adj → perlmuttbesetzt

pearl oyster

n → Perlenauster f

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pearl

²

n (lit, fig) → Perle f; (= mother-of-pearl) → Perlmutt nt; (of sweat etc) → Perle f, → Tropfen m; (= colour) → Grauweiß nt; pearl of wisdom → weiser Spruch; to cast pearls before swine (prov) → Perlen pl → vor die Säue werfen (prov)

adj → Perlen-; (= pearl-coloured) → grauweiß; pearl necklace → Perlenkette f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

pearl

[pɜːl]

1. n → perla
pearl of wisdom (fig) → perla di saggezza
to cast pearls before swine (fig) → gettare le perle ai porci

2. adj (necklace, brooch) → di perle; (buttons) → di madreperla

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

pearl

(pəːl) noun

a valuable, hard, round object formed by oysters and several other shellfish. The necklace consists of three strings of pearls; (also adjective) a pearl necklace. pêrel لُؤْلُؤَه бисер pérola perla; perlový die Perle; Perlen-... perle; perle- μαργαριτάριperla pärl مروارید helmi perleפנינה मोती biser, sedef gyöngy mutiara perla perla; di perle 真珠 진주 perlas pērle mutiara parelperleperła ملغلرې pérola perlă; de perle жемчуг perla; perlový biser; biseren biser pärla ไข่มุก inci 珍珠 перлина موتي، لؤلو ngọc trai 珍珠

ˈpearly adjective

like pearls. pearly teeth. pêrelagtig لُؤْلُؤي бисерен perolado perlový; perleťový perlenartig perleagtig μαργαριταρένιος como perlas, perlado, nacarado pärlendav مروارید مانند helmimäinen perlé כְּפְנִינָה मोतिया poput bisera gyöngyszerű seperti mutiara eins og perla perlaceo, perlato come perle 真珠のような 진주 같은 kaip perlai pērļu-; pērļains spt mutiara parelwitperle-, perleaktig perłowy دملغلرو په ډول، ملغلر وزمه como pérolas ca de sidef; ca mărgăritarul жемчужный perlový, perleťový bisernat biserni pärlliknande ที่คล้ายไข่มุก inci gibi 珍珠似的 перлинний; схожий на перли موتي جيسا giống hạt ngọc trai 珍珠似的

ˈpearl-diver, ˈpearl-fisher nouns

a person who dives or fishes for pearls. pêrelduiker غَوّاص ловец на бисери pescador de pérolas lovec perel der/die Perlenfischer(in) perledykker ψαράς μαργαριταριών pescador de perlas pärlipüüdja صیاد مروارید helmenkalastaja pêcheur/-euse de perles שוֹלֵי פְּנִינִים मोती निकालने वाला गोताखोर lovac bisera, ronilac za biserom gyöngyhalász penyelam mutiara perlukafari pescatore di perle 真珠採り 진주조개를 채취하는 잠수부 perlų ieškotojas/gaudytojas pērļu zvejnieks penyelam mutiara parelduiker perledykker/-fisker poławiacz pereł څوک چی ملغلری لاس ته راوری pescador de pérolas pescuitor de perle ловец жемчуга lovec perál lovec na bisere ronilac za biserima pärlfiskare คนงมหาไข่มุก inci avcısı 採珠人 шукач перлів; водолаз, що добуває перли موتي نکالنے والا người mò ngọc trai 采珠人

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

pearl

→ لُؤلُؤةٌ perla perle Perle μαργαριτάρι perla helmi perle biser perla 真珠 진주 parel perle perła pérola жемчужина pärla ไข่มุก inci ngọc trai 珍珠

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009