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mother-of-pearl
mother-of-pearl definition
mother-of-pearl (-əv pʉrl′)
noun
the hard, pearly internal layer of certain marine shells, as of the pearl oyster or abalone, which is used in the arts, in making pearl buttons, etc.
Etymology: transl. of ML mater perlarum: orig. applied to the marine animal, later to the shell
adjective
of the mother-of-pearl
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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