pearl

noun

/pɜːl/

/pɝːl/

Definition

1. Definition

2. Practise

› [C or U] a small, round object, usually white, that forms around a grain of sand inside the shell of a sea creature, especially an oyster. Pearls are valuable and are used to make jewellery: a string of pearls a pearl necklaceJewelleryPrecious and semi-precious stonesTypes of rock pearls [plural] › jewellery made from pearls: He gave her pearls for her birthday.Jewellery › [C] an artificially made pearl: cultured pearlsJewelleryPrecious and semi-precious stonesTypes of rock › [C] literary a small drop of liquid: There were pearls of dew on the grass.Spherical, circular and annular objectsGeometrical shapes › [U] the white shiny colour of pearl or a pale colourBlack, white and grey › [U] → mother-of-pearl: pearl buttonsJewelleryThe skin, hair and bone of non-human animals

(Definition of pearl noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)