pearl

B2 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /pɝl/ UK /pɜːl/ See IPA manual

Freq #4389

Meanings

1

noun
A small, round, shiny white gem that forms inside an oyster, often used in jewellery.

She wore a simple necklace of white pearls.
2

noun
A small, valuable piece of advice or wisdom.

His grandfather shared a few pearls of wisdom before the journey.
3

verb
To form into small round drops resembling pearls.

Sweat pearled on his forehead in the heat.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

margarite

Word family

Forms pearledpearlingpearlspearly

Derived forms bepearlempearlimpearlmother-of-pearlpearl-ashpearl-clutcherpearl-clutchingpearl-clutchinglypearl-clutchypearl-coatedpearl-necklacepearlaceous

Related forms nacreous

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English perle, from Old French perle of uncertain etymology. Probably via unattested Medieval Latin *pernula, from Latin perna (“haunch; a marine bivalve shaped like a leg of lamb”) but also derived from Medieval Latin perla, from Latin perula (“little bag”). Its typographic use follows the name given by Jean Jannon to the type used in his miniature editions of Vergil, Horace, & the New Testament in the 1620s, which were the smallest printed works to his time. Its surfing use derives from the supposed resemblance to pearl diving.

perle Middle English *pernula la-med perna Latin perla la-med perula Latin

View etymology graph ->

External links

# pearl

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /pɝl/
**IPA (UK):** /pɜːl/
**Frequency rank:** 4389

## Meanings
1. A small, round, shiny white gem that forms inside an oyster, often used in jewellery.
2. A small, valuable piece of advice or wisdom.
3. To form into small round drops resembling pearls.

## Examples
- She wore a simple necklace of white pearls.
- His grandfather shared a few pearls of wisdom before the journey.
- Sweat pearled on his forehead in the heat.

## Synonyms
- margarite

## Derived Forms
- bepearl
- empearl
- impearl
- mother-of-pearl
- pearl-ash
- pearl-clutcher
- pearl-clutching
- pearl-clutchingly
- pearl-clutchy
- pearl-coated
- pearl-necklace
- pearlaceous

## Related Forms
- nacreous

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: perle
- Root: *pernula
- Root: perna
- Root: perla
- Root: perula

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English perle, from Old French perle of uncertain etymology. Probably via unattested Medieval Latin *pernula, from Latin perna (“haunch; a marine bivalve shaped like a leg of lamb”) but also derived from Medieval Latin perla, from Latin perula (“little bag”). Its typographic use follows the name given by Jean Jannon to the type used in his miniature editions of Vergil, Horace, & the New Testament in the 1620s, which were the smallest printed works to his time. Its surfing use derives from the supposed resemblance to pearl diving.

## AI Etymology
Pearl is inherited from Middle English perle, from Old French perle of uncertain etymology. Probably via unattested Medieval Latin *pernula, from Latin perna (“haunch; a marine bivalve shaped like a leg of lamb”) but also derived from Medieval Latin perla, from Latin perula (“little bag”). Its typographic use follows the name given by Jean Jannon to the type used in his miniature editions of Vergil, Horace, & the New Testament in the 1620s, which were the smallest printed works to his time. Its surfing use derives from the supposed resemblance to pearl diving. Modern senses include a small, round, shiny white gem that forms inside an oyster, often used in jewellery and a small, valuable piece of advice or wisdom. The wider word family includes derivatives such as bepearl, empearl, impearl, mother-of-pearl, pearl-ash, and pearl-clutcher and related forms such as nacreous.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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pearl

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