pearly

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adjective \ ˈpər-lē \

Definition of pearly

pearlier; pearliest

1 :resembling, containing, or adorned with pearls or mother-of-pearl

2 :highly precious

See pearly defined for English-language learners

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Examples of pearly in a Sentence

Her teeth were pearly white.

Recent Examples of pearly from the Web

Created by the original developer behind North Island in the Seychelles, and designed by the same architects, Miavana has 14 cutting-edge villas, constructed from steel, glass, and natural fabrics, that overlook the pearly beach and emerald ocean.

— mary holland, Vogue, "Hard to Reach, Impossible to Leave: A Remote Getaway in Madagascar," 20 July 2017
Bacon drippings flavor pearly grains of einkorn cooked risotto-like with ramps and morels.

— providence cicero, The Seattle Times, "At JuneBaby, star chef Edouardo Jordan returns to his Southern roots," 22 June 2017
The First One-On-One Date Rachel knows that Dean was the MVP of the cocktail party, who totally read Lee while flashing his pearly whites.

— melissa locker, Time, "The Bachelorette Recap: Rachel Looks For a Man Who Can Spell 'True Love'," 19 June 2017
The First One-On-One Date Rachel knows that Dean was the MVP of the cocktail party, who totally read Lee while flashing his pearly whites.

— melissa locker, Time, "The Bachelorette Recap: Rachel Looks For a Man Who Can Spell 'True Love'," 19 June 2017
Abalone — a kind of marine snail — is a seafood delicacy, with ornate, pearly shells used for buttons, jewelry and household decorations.

— deborah sullivan brennan, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Lonely abalone looking for love: can captive breeding save endangered shellfish?," 15 June 2017
A tray of pearly white squid, tubular and prehistoric.

— elisabeth egan, chicagotribune.com, "Algren Award finalist: "Water like air" by Rebecca Wurtz," 10 June 2017
Jacey is a bright, curious kid, with pearly pink glasses and a sprinkling of freckles.

— john cassidy, The New Yorker, "The Addicts Next Door," 31 May 2017
The SmartSeries brush from Oral-B syncs to your phone to give you professional advice on how to take good care of your pearly whites.

— camryn rabideau, USA TODAY, "10 futuristic gadgets you didn’t know your bathroom needed," 4 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pearly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of pearly

15th century

PEARLY Defined for English Language Learners

pearly

play

adjective

Definition of pearly for English Language Learners

: having the shiny, white color of pearls

PEARLY Defined for Kids

pearly

play

adjective \ ˈpər-lē \

Definition of pearly for Students

pearlier; pearliest

:resembling a pearl in color, shape, or luster

Small pearly clouds drifted … overhead.
—Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie

Learn More about pearly

See words that rhyme with pearly Spanish Central: Translation of pearly Nglish: Translation of pearly for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pearly for Arabic speakers

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pearly

Definition of pearly

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pearly

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