Home / Dictionary / Meaning of pearl

Pearl

/pˈɜrl/
B1
Listen pronunciation

(noun) A shelly concretion, usually rounded, and having a brilliant luster, with varying tints, found in the mantle, or between the mantle and shell, of certain bivalve mollusks, especially in the pearl oysters and river mussels, and sometimes in certain univalves. It is usually due to a secretion of shelly substance around some irritating foreign particle. Its substance is the same as nacre, or mother-of-pearl. Round lustrous pearls are used in jewellery.

Hawaii is often referred to as "The Pearl of the Pacific."
It is merely an imitation pearl.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The diver retrieved a perfectly round ____ from the oyster shell found on the ocean floor.

Expand Your Vocabulary with LexUp

Master English words using smart flashcards, play exciting word rounds, and compete with other learners worldwide.