# mother-of-pearl

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌmʌðəɹ əv ˈpɜː(ɹ)l/

## Definitions
1. The hard pearly inner layer of certain mollusk shells; nacre.
2. A butterfly of the genus Salamis.

## Etymology
Calque of Latin māter perlārum, with the first element perhaps connected in popular imagination with obsolete mother (“dregs”). Possibly referring to the fact that the nacre-lined shells are the belly (“mother”) in which pearls are produced.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mother-of-pearl