mother-of-pearl
noun
moth·er-of-pearl
ˌmə-t͟hə-rə(v)-ˈpər(-ə)l 
: the hard pearly iridescent substance forming the inner layer of a mollusk shell
Examples of mother-of-pearl in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The door panels feature mother-of-pearl surfaces that surround brass door handles painted in a silver-gold hue.
—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Deep Vertex will introduce wood, mother-of-pearl and minerals such as onyx and carnelian.
—Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2025
Topping the great room are mother-of-pearl light fixtures that look like seashells and make music when the wind blows.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 Sep. 2025
The small, four-to-five-inch-long fish are a translucent pink color that seems to shimmer like mother-of-pearl.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mother-of-pearl
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Deep Vertex will introduce wood, mother-of-pearl and minerals such as onyx and carnelian.
—Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2025
Topping the great room are mother-of-pearl light fixtures that look like seashells and make music when the wind blows.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 Sep. 2025
The small, four-to-five-inch-long fish are a translucent pink color that seems to shimmer like mother-of-pearl.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mother-of-pearl
Cite this Entry
“Mother-of-pearl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mother-of-pearl. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share