What does pearl mean?
A pearl is a precious, lustrous gem formed inside the shell of oysters and certain other mollusks. Its smooth surface and irregular shape have made it a familiar symbol of beauty, rarity, and enduring value. In figurative English, a pearl can describe a person, object, achievement, or moment that is exceptionally lovely or valuable. The expression "pearls of wisdom" presents pearls as a metaphor for valuable knowledge, while "a pearl of great price" emphasizes something exceptionally precious. Although pearls can occur naturally, most commercial pearls today are cultivated by deliberately introducing an irritant into an oyster so that layers of nacre form around it. The word is also used as a verb for the process of forming such rounded, pearl-like objects.
A hard, lustrous, usually rounded gem formed in the shell of an oyster or another mollusk; also, figuratively, something exceptionally valuable.
"The necklace was made from luminous white pearls."
The figurative sense is established in idioms and literary expressions.
To form into or become a pearl-like rounded mass.
"The resin pearled around the wound as it cooled."
This is a relatively uncommon literary or descriptive use.
The plural is formed by adding -s: one pearl, many pearls.
"The shop sells pearls, pearl necklaces, and pearl earrings."
A pearl begins as an irritation inside an oyster: the mollusk layers nacre around it until the result becomes one of nature's most sought-after gems.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pearl come from?
The word comes through Old French perle, from Latin margarita, meaning "pearl." Latin borrowed the term from Greek margarites, referring to a pearl or to a precious stone believed to have magical properties. The Greek word ultimately draws on a wider family associated with pearls and related gems, reflected in cognates such as margarite and margaritic.
Related word forms
How pearl is actually used
The word is common in both formal and informal contexts. Its figurative use is especially traditional in expressions such as "a pearl among swine" and "pearls of wisdom," which can sound literary or proverbial.
Easily confused with pearl
A pearl is a natural or cultured gem formed inside a mollusk, whereas a perle is a decorative bead, often used in jewelry or embroidery.