nacre

noun

1. mother-of-pearl.

noun

1. the technical name for mother-of-pearl

n.1590s, “type of shellfish that yields mother-of-pearl,” from Middle French nacre (14c.), from Italian naccaro (now nacchera), possibly from Arabic naqur “hunting horn” (from nakara “to hollow out”), in reference to the shape of the mollusk shell. Meaning “mother-of-pearl” is from 1718.

1. See mother-of-pearl.