pearly

[ pur-lee ]

/ ˈpɜr li /

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See synonyms for pearly on Thesaurus.com

adjective, pearl·i·er, pearl·i·est.

like a pearl, especially in being white or lustrous; nacreous: her pearly teeth.

adorned with or abounding in pearls or mother-of-pearl.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of pearly

First recorded in 1400–50, pearly is from the late Middle English word peerly. See pearl, -y¹

OTHER WORDS FROM pearly

pearl·i·ness, noun

Words nearby pearly

Pearl River, pearls, pearls before swine, Cast not, Pearlstein, pearlwort, pearly, Pearly Gates, pearly king, pearly nautilus, pearly queen, pearly white

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pearly in a sentence

Will these resurrected animals be house-trained and know to exit the pearly gates before doing their business?
Sorry, Internet: Pope Francis Didn't Open Paradise to Pets|Candida Moss|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is a good-sized quarter pounder of pearly meat spiced and rolled in Japanese breadcrumbs, then pan-fried to a crisp.
Become a Fried Seafood Believer at South Beach Market|Jane & Michael Stern|April 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To keep your pearly whites bright and shiny, visit Dr. David Poiman at the NY Center for Esthetic and Laser Dentistry.
Gal With a Suitcase: New York's Best Pampering Spots|Jolie Hunt|February 11, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Charles Darwin, how was your theory of evolution received when you arrived at the Pearly Gates?
Charles Saatchi Answers Your Questions|The Daily Beast|May 31, 2010|DAILY BEAST

I hadn't the nerve to stand there and tell her she'd never see her father again this side of the pearly gates.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
The species is peculiar for its yellow pearly internal coat, and purplish rays.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
Overhead a bird chirped in loneliness, and the sky slowly turned pearly hued as the paralysis left him.
Restricted Tool|Malcolm B. Morehart
Her short black curls were bound about three times with strands of pearly beads, her slim white arms were loaded with bracelets.
The Medici Boots|Pearl Norton Swet
His teeth were of the most pearly whiteness, and he made a constant display of them, grinning and chattering continually.
Minnie's Pet Monkey|Madeline Leslie

British Dictionary definitions for pearly

pearly

/ (ˈpɜːlɪ) /

adjective pearlier or pearliest

resembling a pearl, esp in lustre

of the colour pearl; pale bluish-grey

decorated with pearls or mother-of-pearl

noun plural pearlies (in Britain)

a London costermonger who wears on ceremonial occasions a traditional dress of dark clothes covered with pearl buttons

(plural) the clothes or the buttons themselves

Derived forms of pearly

pearliness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

pearly

Origin of pearly

OTHER WORDS FROM pearly

Words nearby pearly

Words related to pearly

How to use pearly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pearly

Derived forms of pearly