Definition of pearl oyster
: any of several large marine bivalve mollusks of the genera Avicula and Pinctada (especially P. margaritifera) that often produce pearls, differ from the ordinary oyster in having a byssus, and are found chiefly in the East Indies (as at Sri Lanka), in the Persian Gulf, on the northern coasts of Australia, and on the Pacific coast of America
Learn More About pearl oyster
Statistics for pearl oyster
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“Pearl oyster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pearl%20oyster. Accessed 26 Jan. 2022.
Style: MLA
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Test Your Vocabulary
Difficult Spelling Words Quiz
-
- Which is the correct spelling?
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
-
“In Vino Veritas” and Other Latin Phrases to Live By
Top 10 Latin Phrases
-
Is It 'Home In' or 'Hone In'?
Both are used, but home in does a better job of...
-
Merriam-Webster's Words of the Week - Jan. 21
From the week ending 1/21/2022
-
On Synecdoche and Metonymy
When you are left to your own rhetorical devices.
Ask the Editors
Share pearl oyster