pearl

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /pɜːl/ or [pʰəːɫ]
• (US) IPA ^(key): /pɝl/ or [pʰɝɫ]

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Homophone: purl

Noun

Singular pearl

Plural pearls

1. (countable) A pearl is a round, white jewel that you get from inside of oysters.

   She bought a pearl necklace.

2. (countable) A pearl is a kind of fish called the brill.
3. (countable) A pearl is a light colored tern.
4. (uncountable) Pearl is nacre or mother-of-pearl.

Verb

Plain form pearl

Third-person singular pearls

Past tense pearled

Past participle pearled

Present participle pearling

1. If you pearl something, you adorn it with pearls.

   I pearled my neck with a necklace.

2. If you pearl something, you make it into small, round grains, as with barley.

   Barley is pearled before being processed.

3. If you pearl, you go hunting for pearls; you go pearling.

   The fisherman pearls for his job.

Related words

• pearling