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Nacre

 - 4 dictionary results

na⋅cre

  [ney-ker]
Use Nacre in a Sentence
–noun
mother-of-pearl.
Origin:
1590–1600; < ML nacrum, nacer, var. of nacara < OIt naccara kind of drum, nacre < Ar naqqārah drum
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Nacre
moth·er-of-pearl   (mŭth'ər-əv-pûrl')
n.  The pearly internal layer of certain mollusk shells, used to make decorative objects. Also called nacre.
moth'er-of-pearl' adj.
na·cre   (nā'kər)   
n.  See mother-of-pearl.

[French, from Old French nacle, from Old Italian naccaro, drum, nacre, from Arabic naqqāra, small drum, from naqara, to bore, pierce; see nqr in Semitic roots.]
na'cred (-kərd), na'cre·ous (-krē-əs) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

nacre  (n.)
1598, "type of shellfish that yields mother-of-pearl," from M.Fr., from It. naccaro (now nacchera), possibly ult. from Arabic nakara "to hollow out," in ref. to the shape of the mollusk shell. Meaning "mother-of-pearl" is from 1718.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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