Word Study
nacre
CIDE DICTIONARY
nacre, n. [F., cf. Sp. nácara, nácar, It. nacchera, naccaro, LL. nacara, nacrum; of Oriental origin, cf. Ar. nakīr hollowed.].
A pearly substance which lines the interior of many shells, and is most perfect in the mother-of-pearl. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
nacre, n. mother-of-pearl from any shelled mollusc.
Derivative
nacred adj. nacreous adj. nacrous adj.
Etymology
F
THESAURUS
nacre
Dalmatian, antigorite, butterfly, candy cane, chameleon, cheetah, chrysotile, confetti, crazy quilt, firedog, harlequin, iridescence, iris, jaguar, leopard, mackerel, mackerel sky, marble, marbled paper, moire, mother-of-pearl, mother-of-pearl cloud, nacreousness, ocelot, opal, opalescence, ophite, patchwork quilt, peacock, pearliness, rainbow, serpentine, serpentine marble, shot silk, spectrum, tortoise shell, zebraROGET THESAURUS
nacre
Semitransparency
N semitransparency, translucency, semiopacity, opalescence, milkiness, pearliness, gauze, muslin, film, mica, mother-of-pearl, nacre, mist, opal, turbidity, Adj, semitransparent, translucent, semipellucid, semidiaphanous, semiopacous, semiopaque, opalescent, opaline, pearly, milky, frosted, nacreous, semitransparent, translucent, semipellucid, semidiaphanous, semiopacous, semiopaque, opalescent, opaline, pearly, milky, frosted, nacreous, V, opalesce, (ii) SPECIFIC LIGHT.Variegation
N variegation, colors, dichroism, trichroism, iridescence, play of colors, polychrome, maculation, spottiness, striae, spectrum, rainbow, iris, tulip, peacock, chameleon, butterfly, tortoise shell, mackerel, mackerel sky, zebra, leopard, cheetah, nacre, ocelot, ophite, mother-of-pearl, opal, marble, check, plaid, tartan, patchwork, marquetry-, parquetry, mosaic, tesserae, strigae, chessboard, checkers, chequers, harlequin, Joseph's coat, tricolor, variegated, many-colored, many-hued, divers-colored, party- colored, dichromatic, polychromatic, bicolor, tricolor, versicolor, of all the colors of the rainbow, of all manner of colors, kaleidoscopic, iridescent, opaline, opalescent, prismatic, nacreous, pearly, shot, gorge de pigeon, chatoyant, irisated, pavonine, pied, piebald, motley, mottled, marbled, pepper and salt, paned, dappled, clouded, cymophanous, mosaic, tesselated, plaid, tortoise shell, spotted, spotty, punctated, powdered, speckled, freckled, flea-bitten, studded, flecked, fleckered, striated, barred, veined, brinded, brindled, tabby, watered, grizzled, listed, embroidered, daedal, naevose, stipiform, strigose, striolate, (iii) PERCEPTIONS OF LIGHT.For further exploring for "nacre" in Webster Dictionary Online