nacre
/ˈneɪkə
/noun [mass noun]
Mother-of-pearl.The nacre, or mother of pearl, is the innermost layer, which is composed of thin, alternating, laminae (flakes or sheets) of calcium carbonate and an organic material....
- The oyster coats the sand grain with a silvery shiny layer called nacre.
- Now, researchers have designed a synthetic material that mimics both nacre's internal architecture and its strength.
Derivatives
nacreous
/ adjective ...- The dorsal ligament groove is overlain dorsally and flanked laterally by the nacreous middle shell layer.
- They suggested that this species is similar in microstructure to modern unionid bivalves, which are externally prismatic and internally nacreous.
- The distressed surfaces, with their flinty earth tones, cobalt blues and nacreous whites, hold light like rough alabaster.
Origin
Late 16th century: French, from late Latin nacchara, nacara, perhaps from Arabic.
Rhymes
- rock meal
- rock mechanics
- rock melon
- rock milk
- rock mine
- Rock Monday
- rock mouse
- rock music
- Rockne, Knute
- rocknoser
- rock nosing
- rock 'n' roll
- rock 'n' roll craze
- rock 'n' roller
- rock 'n' rolling
- rock 'n' roll music
- rock 'n' roll revivalism
- rock 'n' roll revivalist
- rock 'n' roll riot
- rock 'n' roll station
- rock oak
- rock oil
- rock onion
- rockoon
- rock opera