# pearl

/ˈpɝɫ/ (US) · /pˈɜːl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pearl
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. jewellery

noun · CEFR A2

a hard, shiny, white ball that grows inside the shell of an oyster and is used to make expensive jewellery.

For teachers: a smooth, lustrous, typically rounded concretion formed within the shells of certain mollusks. It is composed of nacre and is highly valued as a gemstone.

- She wore a beautiful string of pearls with her black dress for the wedding.
- The diver discovered a rare natural pearl inside an oyster, which was later appraised at a significant value by the local jeweller.

### 2. wise advice

noun · CEFR B2

a small but very useful piece of advice or information.

For teachers: a succinct and valuable piece of information or advice; often used in the idiom 'pearls of wisdom'.

- My grandfather shared a few pearls of wisdom about saving money for the future.
- The keynote speaker offered several pearls of wisdom regarding leadership that resonated deeply with the young entrepreneurs in the audience.

### 3. something precious

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

a person or thing that is very special, beautiful, or highly valued.

For teachers: a person or thing considered to be of great rarity, beauty, or value.

- The small island is the pearl of the Mediterranean.
- Historians often refer to the restored library as the pearl of the city's architectural heritage.

### 4. printing size

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Archaic

a very small size of printed text.

For teachers: a historical standard size of type, approximately 5 points in height.

- The old book was printed in pearl type, making it very difficult to read.
- The footnotes in the nineteenth-century manuscript were set in pearl, requiring a magnifying glass for clear legibility.

### 5. to form droplets

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to form small, round drops like pearls.

For teachers: to form into small, round, pearl-like drops or beads; often used of sweat or dew.

- Small drops of morning dew pearled on the rose petals.
- Sweat pearled on the athlete's forehead as he prepared for the final sprint of the marathon.

### 6. surfing

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to accidentally push the front of a surfboard under the water.

For teachers: to unintentionally bury the nose of a surfboard in the water, typically during the takeoff on a wave.

- I tried to catch the big wave but I pearled and fell off my board.
- If you lean too far forward during the drop-in, you are likely to pearl and get tossed by the whitewater.

## Examples

- She wears a beautiful pearl necklace.
- The diver searched the ocean floor for hours, hoping to find a wild pearl inside an oyster.
- Natural pearls are exceptionally rare, as they require a specific biological reaction to a parasite or organic debris, unlike the more common cultured varieties found in modern jewelry stores.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.