See Also: Mother-of-pearl(medicine)
mother-of-pearl(dictionary)
mother-of-pearl(dictionary)
pearl-ash(medicine)
pearl(1)(dictionary)
pearl(dictionary)
Pearl Air(tourism)
pearl(2)(dictionary)
pearl(encyclopedia)
Pearl(medicine)

mother-of-pearl (iou)



mother-of-pearl noun. Also (earlier) mother-pearl. E16.
[translating French mere perle, corresp. to Italian, Spanish madreperla, Dutch paarlemoer, German Perlmutter.]
A smooth shining iridescent substance forming the inner layer of the shell of a mollusc, esp. an oyster. E16.
A shellfish yielding mother-of-pearl. L16.
Comb.: mother-of-pearl cloud a kind of iridescent cloud occurring above the tropopause which is sometimes seen in high latitudes after sunset; mother-of-pearl work a kind of embroidery in which pieces of mother-of-pearl are sewn on velvet or silk.