pearl essence

noun

1. a lustrous, silvery-white substance obtained from the scales of certain fishes or derived synthetically, as from mercuric chloride: used chiefly in the manufacture of simulated pearls and as a pigment in lacquer pearl lacquer.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pearl essence¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Other mock pearls are made up of a vitreous composition formed largely of the pearl essence.

From Project Gutenberg