Definition of nacre:

part of speech: noun

The beautiful iridescent substance forming the inner covering of the shell of the pearl- mussel or oyster, called mother- of- pearl.

Usage examples:

• Another illustration is that of an accumulation of nacre which has assumed accidental resemblance to a miniature shark. E. J. Banfield in "Tropic Days".

• If a pearl- secreting oyster be inherently robust, its defence against assault from without may consist of the strengthening of the interior at the point of attack by deposits of nacre E. J. Banfield in "Tropic Days".

• Out of curiosity, he scraped the inner coating of one of the larger shells and found layer upon layer of nacre or mother of pearl, which crumbled away from the knife. Nat Gould in "The Second String".

• Such pearls originate, no doubt, in the ordinary way, but, becoming an intolerable nuisance on account of increasing size, are confined in nacre E. J. Banfield in "Tropic Days".