Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Middle French, French perle pearl (c1140 in Old French; compare also Old French, Middle French perne ), bead (1260 in Old French), the tincture argent in heraldry (a1458), highly esteemed person (1532), valuable thing (1546), the teeth (1552), round capsule containing a medicinal substance (1853) and its etymon post-classical Latin perula, perla disease of the eye (9th cent.), pearl (from c1080 in British sources; from 13th cent. in continental sources; compare also perulus in sense ‘pearl’ (9th cent.)), further etymology uncertain; probably (via an unattested diminutive *pernula ) < classical Latin perna marine bivalve shaped like a leg of mutton, in post-classical Latin also pearl (a1250, 1301 respectively in Sicilian and Neapolitan sources; compare Italian regional (Sicily) perna , in the same sense), transferred use of perna thigh, ham (see pernio n.). Compare Old Occitan perla (1288–92; Occitan pèrla), Italian perla (early 13th cent.), Catalan perla (1271), Spanish perla (1293), Portuguese †perla (late 15th cent.), pérola (16th cent.). The Latin (or French) word was also borrowed into other Germanic languages; compare Middle Dutch perle, parle (Dutch parel), Old Saxon perula (Middle Low German perle, parle), Old High German perala (Middle High German perle, berle, German Perle), Old Icelandic perla (in late sources), Old Swedish pärla (Swedish pärla).Alternative etymologies connect post-classical Latin perla , perula with post-classical Latin pirula , perula tip of the nose (7th cent.), diminutive of classical Latin pirum , post-classical Latin pera pear n., or (via a dissimilated form) with classical Latin pilula globule (see pill n.², and compare Italian regional (Venice and Verona) pirola , variant of pillola ). In forms pirl , pirle in Irish English, and purl in Scots (all in sense A. 8b) probably influenced by pirl v.; compare forms at pearl grass n. With to cast pearls before swine (see sense A. 2c) compare Middle French, French jeter des perles aux pourceaux (1402). With sense A. 12 compare post-classical Latin margarita (1685 in this sense in the passage translated in quot. 1696). In sense A. 15 after Byzantine Greek μαργαρίτης the eucharistic body of Christ, especially a particle of bread (already in Hellenistic Greek denoting Christ, originally with allusion to Matthew 13:45–6: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.’ (King James Bible, 1611); see margarite n.¹ The usual word in Old English (in sense A. 2a) is meregrot (see margarite n.¹). Earlier currency of the word is perhaps implied by surnames, Henricus Perle (c1258), Reginald Perle (1316), etc., although it is uncertain whether these should be taken as reflecting the Anglo-Norman or the Middle English word.

Etymology: Apparently a variant (with metathesis) of prill, variant of brill n.¹; subsequently remodelled after pearl n.¹, perhaps from the glistening colour of the fish.

Etymology: Apparently Scots variant of purl n.¹Although the standard spelling is now purl (see purl n.¹), the spelling pearl persists, probably as a result of folk etymology (the ornamental loops somewhat resembling an edging of pearl drops).

Etymology: Probably alteration of parel n. (compare sense 4) after pearl n.¹, perhaps with allusion to lustre. Compare pearl v.³