noun
pearl
purl
noun
1
A smooth, rounded gem formed inside the shell of certain oysters and mollusks, prized for jewelry.
"She wore a string of pearls to the wedding."
verb
1
Surfing slang: for the nose of a surfboard to dip underwater, usually causing a wipeout.
"He pearled on the takeoff and got dumped by the wave."
How to Use Pearl
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe smooth gem grown inside a mollusk shell; in surfing slang, to nosedive a board into the water.
Common pairings
string of pearls
pearl necklace
pearl earrings
Word Forms
pearled past tense, pearls singular
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Etymology
From Old French perle, of uncertain origin — possibly linked to Latin perna ("a leg-shaped shellfish") or perula ("little bag"). The surfing sense comes from the resemblance to a pearl diver disappearing underwater.