Pearl

A smooth, rounded gem produced within the shell of a mollusk, valued for its luster and often used in jewelry., Something rare, valuable, or admirable., A pale grayish-white color resembling that of a pearl.

Pearl - Meanings

A smooth, rounded gem produced within the shell of a mollusk, valued for its luster and often used in jewelry.

Example: She wore a beautiful pearl necklace to the gala.

Usage: formalContext: fashion, jewelry, formal events

Note: Pearls are considered elegant and are often associated with sophistication and luxury.

Something rare, valuable, or admirable.

Example: Her performance was a pearl among the other presentations.

Usage: formalContext: literary, figurative language

Note: This usage is more metaphorical and poetic, often used to describe something exceptional or outstanding.

A pale grayish-white color resembling that of a pearl.

Example: She painted her walls in a lovely pearl shade.

Usage: informalContext: interior design, fashion

Note: This usage is common in describing colors and is often associated with a soft, subtle hue.

Pearl's synonyms

gem

A gem refers to a precious or valuable stone, similar to a pearl in terms of being valuable and often used in jewelry.

Example: She wore a necklace adorned with precious gems.

Note: While pearls are formed inside mollusks, gems are naturally occurring minerals.

jewel

A jewel is a precious stone that is cut and polished for use in jewelry.

Example: The crown was decorated with sparkling jewels.

Note: Pearls are formed organically inside mollusks, while jewels are typically mined and cut from gemstones.

bead

A bead is a small, often round object that is pierced for stringing into jewelry or for decorative purposes.

Example: The bracelet was made of tiny colorful beads.

Note: While pearls are naturally formed inside mollusks, beads can be made from various materials such as glass, wood, or plastic.

Pearl expressions, common phrases

Pearls of wisdom

This phrase refers to valuable pieces of advice or knowledge that have been gained through experience.

Example: Grandma shared her pearls of wisdom with me, advising me to always be kind and patient.

Note: The phrase 'pearls of wisdom' uses 'pearls' metaphorically to represent valuable insights, not actual pearls.

Pearl of great price

It signifies something of great worth or value, often beyond its monetary cost.

Example: To her, that antique necklace was a pearl of great price, not just in terms of money but sentimental value.

Note: In this context, 'pearl of great price' emphasizes the exceptional value of something, similar to a precious pearl.

Casting pearls before swine

This idiom means offering something valuable to someone who does not appreciate or understand its worth.

Example: I felt like I was casting pearls before swine trying to explain the complex theory to my classmates who weren't interested.

Note: The phrase uses 'pearls' symbolically to represent valuable things, contrasting with the unworthy 'swine'.

Pearl-handled

It describes an object with a handle made of mother-of-pearl, typically associated with luxury or refinement.

Example: The elegant knife had a pearl-handled grip, adding a touch of sophistication to the table setting.

Note: This term directly refers to the use of pearl material for handles, highlighting its beauty and quality.

Pearls before breakfast

This phrase humorously suggests someone who values luxury or formality to the extent of wearing pearls early in the morning.

Example: She was wearing pearls before breakfast, showing her love for elegance and style at all times.

Note: It plays on the idea of pearls, known for their elegance and formality, being worn at a time usually associated with casual attire.

Pearl diver

It refers to a person whose occupation involves diving to collect pearls or other valuable items from the sea.

Example: The renowned pearl diver retrieved a rare black pearl from the depths of the ocean.

Note: Here, 'pearl diver' directly refers to a person engaged in the specific activity of diving for pearls, highlighting their expertise in this field.

Pearl white

It describes a bright, pure white color resembling the luster of a pearl.

Example: The bride looked stunning in her pearl white gown, shining like a fairy-tale princess.

Note: In this context, 'pearl white' refers to the color associated with the natural shine and elegance of pearls.

Pearl everyday (slang) expressions

Pearls

In slang, 'pearls' refers to expensive jewelry, particularly necklaces made of pearls.

Example: She's got some serious pearls on today.

Note: The original term 'pearls' refers specifically to the spherical objects produced within the shells of certain mollusks, often used in jewelry.

Pearl necklace

In slang, a 'pearl necklace' is a sexual act involving ejaculating on a partner's neck and chest, reminiscent of the appearance of a pearl necklace.

Example: I saw him giving her a pearl necklace at the club last night.

Note: This slang term has a sexual connotation, unlike the original meaning of a necklace made of pearls.

Pearling

In slang, 'pearling' means riding or driving fast or in a reckless manner.

Example: He's the one pearling through the streets on his new bike.

Note: This slang term is unrelated to the original meaning of 'pearl' and pertains to speed and intensity in a different context.

Mother of Pearl

In slang, 'mother of pearl' is used to describe something that is highly reflective and shiny.

Example: That car is shiny, it's like mother of pearl.

Note: The original term refers to a substance forming the inner layer of a mollusk shell, while the slang term focuses on appearance and shininess.

Pearls out

In slang, 'pearls out' means to become visible or prominent, especially in a beautiful or striking manner.

Example: When the sun sets, the moon pearls out beautifully.

Note: This slang term doesn't directly relate to the original meaning of 'pearl' as a gem but focuses on emergence or visibility.

Pearl - Examples

The necklace was made of pearls.

She had a pearl in her oyster.

The dress was a beautiful pearl white.

Pearl grammar

Pearl - Proper noun (Proper noun) / Proper noun, singular (Proper noun, singular)

Lemma: pearl

Conjugations

Noun, plural (Noun, plural): pearls, pearl

Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): pearl

Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): pearled

Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): pearling

Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): pearls

Verb, base form (Verb, base form): pearl

Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): pearl

Syllabification and Stress

pearl Contains 1 syllables: pearl

Phonetic transcription: ˈpər(-ə)l

pearl , ˈpər( ə)l (The red syllable is stressed)

Pearl - Importance and usage frequency

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

pearl: ~ 3800 (Common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

Back

Search area