pearling Definition

pearl¹
noun

1. A bead of smooth hard lustrous material found inside the shell of certain molluscs, eg oysters, and used in jewellery as a gem.
2. An artificial imitation of this.
3. A necklace of pearls.

Example: I was wearing my pearls
Form: pearls
4. Mother-of-pearl.
5. Something resembling a pearl.

Thesaurus: drop, droplet, globule, dewdrop, raindrop.
6. Something valued or precious.

Example: pearls of wisdom

adj

1. Like a pearl in colour or shape.
2. Made of or set with pearls or mother-of-pearl. See also cultured (sense 3).

verb pearled, pearling

1. To set something with, or as if with, pearls.
2. To grind down (barley) into small pearl-like grains.
intr
3. To form pearl-like beads or drops.
intr
4. To fish for pearls.

Derivative: pearled
adj

Derivative: pearler

A pearl-fisher.

A pearl-fisher's boat.

Etymology: 14c: from a diminutive of Latin perna sea mussel.