Dictionary

pearlescent en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /pəːˈlɛsənt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /pərˈlɛsənt/ (General-American)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From pearl + -escent. First attested in 1926.

Meanings

1. Pearl-like, either in color or luster.
   • The pearlescent moon peeked over the mountains, bathing the land in a ghostly reflection of daylight. Everything looked bleached and flat. 2003, Christopher Paolini, “Palancar Valley”, in Eragon, page 16:
   • Everyone who has the slightest chance of eve going on a honeymoon is a potential customer for “The Story of Bermuda” by Hudson Strode (Smith & Haas). With its beautiful photographs and pearlescent binding, this book makes Bermuda seem a delightful place before even a word of its pleasant text is read. 1932 December 24, Alice Payne Hackett, “Selling America”, in The Publishers’ Weekly: The American Booktrade Journal, volume 122, number 26, New York, N.Y.: R. R. Bowker Co., →OCLC, page 2309:
   • The pearlescent inks have bits of shimmery, light-reflective material in them that make them look glittery; these are all transparent. 2008, Alisa Golden, “Inks, Paints, and Other Media”, in Painted Paper: Techniques & Projects for Handmade Books & Cards, New York, N.Y.: Sterling Publishing Co., →ISBN, page 14:
   • In the silvery belly scales of the herring, deposits of minute, platelike crystals lie parallel to the scales’ surface, giving a pearly gleam to the grey fish. As long as 200 years ago, this pearlescent pigment was extracted from the fish and injected into beads to simulate pearls. 1983, “The Colourless colours”, in Helen Varley, editor, Colour, London: Marshall Editions Limited, →ISBN, page 182:
   • Successful continuous extrusion of a variety of lead alloys for power and communications cable sheathing has opened still other possibilities. There are new lead pigments, including those of the pearlescent type, low-firing porcelain enamels for aluminum, steel and other metals, and low-loss dielectric ceramics for electronics, all of which will be given attention, [Robert L.] Ziegfeld said. 1959 December 10, “Lead Association Budget Provides $¾-Million for Research”, in Alvin W. Knoerr, editor, E&MJ Metal and Mineral Markets, volume 30, number 50, New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 6:

Forms

Antonyms

matte · flat · dull

Deriveds

pearlescence · pearlescently

Relateds

nacre · mother-of-pearl

Synonyms

iridescent · opalescent · nacreous · lustrous