as in opalescent
having a rainbowlike play of colors
the nacreous lining of the shell of a mollusk
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Recent Examples of nacreous
Tiffany has a long-standing history with pearls, both nacreous—from oysters and mollusks—and non-nacreous, like Melo Melo pearls.
—
Stellene Volandes, Town & Country, 20 Feb. 2021
Unfortunately, nacreous clouds also support chemical reactions that convert benign chlorine-containing molecules into a form that destroys Earth’s ozone layer.
—Rebecca Coffey, Discover Magazine, 29 Jan. 2012
Quahogs produce non-nacreous, porcelainlike pearls, according to the Gemological Institute of America.
—Shannon Marvel McNaught, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2022
Markov processes include an element of randomness—in this case, the thickness of the outermost nacreous layer—but one that can be influenced by the system’s history.
—Leila Sloman, Popular Mechanics, 28 Feb. 2022
An alternative explanation is that the red skies were the result of nacreous clouds common to that particular latitude.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 May 2020
Also called polar stratospheric clouds (or less precisely, rainbow clouds), nacreous clouds normally only form in high latitudes and at extremely cold temperatures.
—National Geographic, 3 Feb. 2016
The cold air the storm blew in also led to the formation of beautiful nacreous clouds.
—National Geographic, 3 Feb. 2016
Stellene Volandes, Town & Country, 20 Feb. 2021
Unfortunately, nacreous clouds also support chemical reactions that convert benign chlorine-containing molecules into a form that destroys Earth’s ozone layer.
—Rebecca Coffey, Discover Magazine, 29 Jan. 2012
Quahogs produce non-nacreous, porcelainlike pearls, according to the Gemological Institute of America.
—Shannon Marvel McNaught, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2022
Markov processes include an element of randomness—in this case, the thickness of the outermost nacreous layer—but one that can be influenced by the system’s history.
—Leila Sloman, Popular Mechanics, 28 Feb. 2022
An alternative explanation is that the red skies were the result of nacreous clouds common to that particular latitude.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 May 2020
Also called polar stratospheric clouds (or less precisely, rainbow clouds), nacreous clouds normally only form in high latitudes and at extremely cold temperatures.
—National Geographic, 3 Feb. 2016
The cold air the storm blew in also led to the formation of beautiful nacreous clouds.
—National Geographic, 3 Feb. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nacreous
Adjective
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Mike Navarro, an oceanographer at the University of Alaska Southeast, studied opalescent squids during his PhD at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.—
Jules Jacobs,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 May 2025
-
The majestic stillness of the full beaver moon, hovering pink and opalescent in the horizon.—
Jennifer Hope Choi,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Two of the visible Air tubes on the heel host Lego branding, including a Minifigure head at the rear, and iridescent detailing is used for the midfoot shank and mustache.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
29 May 2025
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This fish, with its reddish-brown head and iridescent blue patches, survives droughts by hiding in moist mud.—
Real-Time news team,
Miami Herald,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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In the center of the colorful drink is a butterfly pea blossom ice sphere topped with gold luster dust.—
Natalia Senanayake,
People.com,
21 May 2025
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Bosa, Sardinia, Italy Renowned for its colorful houses and the medieval Malaspina Castle, Bosa is situated about two-thirds of the way up the west coast of Sardinia, on a small hill about 3km inland on the north bank of the Temo River.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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For the runway, Levy played with a range of eye shadow shades and opacities on the lips, from sheer, pearlescent lilac to full-on, shimmering lime green.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
20 May 2025
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Seen from there, the sandstone pylons of Luxor’s temple rose to an open sky, eternally patient in the dusty, pearlescent light.—
Chris Wallace,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nacreous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nacreous. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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