nacre
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nacre
1590–1600; < Medieval Latin nacrum, nacer, variant of nacara < Old Italian naccara kind of drum, nacre < Arabic naqqārah drum
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
However, the exact processes and conditions that lead to nacre, a composite of biopolymers and platelets of crystalline calcium carbonate, are the subject of intense debate among experts, and different theories exist.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 12, 2024
Dull on the outside, its nacre gleams pearlescent within.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2021
Some bivalves like oysters and mussels have the unique ability to secrete and deposit a calcareous nacre or “mother of pearl” around foreign particles that enter the mantle cavity.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013
The oyster reacts to the introduction of the foreign body by coating it with layers of nacre - crystallized calcium carbonate and an organic protein.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2012
While the cheaper grades of indestructible pearls have but three or four layers of nacre, some of the fine ones have as many as thirty or more.
From A Text-Book of Precious Stones for Jewelers and the Gem-Loving Public by Frank Bertram Wade
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