Nacreous

/ˈneɪkriəs/ adjective

Definition

Resembling nacre (mother-of-pearl); having a pearly luster or iridescent sheen.

Etymology

From French 'nacre' (mother-of-pearl), from Arabic 'naqqārah' (drum/shell), possibly because mother-of-pearl shells were used as small drums. The iridescent lining of seashells.

Kelly Says

The shimmery rainbow inside a seashell! Mother-of-pearl has been treasured for thousands of years, and the word traveled from Arabic drums to French shells to your vocabulary! Nacreous clouds in the sky look like someone spilled pearls in the atmosphere! 🐚

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