Pearled

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

1. Having an appearance that features small, shiny orbs reminiscent of pearls
2. Displaying a texture or aesthetic enriched by lustrous, bead-like elements similar to pearls
3. Covered or decorated with tiny spherical shapes resembling pearls

Etymology: "Pearled" is the past tense and past participle of "pearl," used to mean decorated or studded with beads, or with things resembling pearls. The noun behind it entered Middle English as "perle," borrowed from Old French, and its ultimate source is uncertain. Two candidates are discussed: a Medieval Latin form that may trace back to Latin "perna," meaning a haunch or a marine bivalve shaped like a leg of lamb, and another that may trace to Latin "perula," meaning "little bag." Neither can be confirmed, so the gem's own name remains a puzzle. The sense of "pearl" as something small and precious is old, but the verb built on it stays close to its literal object: to adorn a surface with pearl-like drops or beads. Because the pearl itself was a prized luxury, to be "pearled" meant to be dressed in the most costly ornament a medieval or early modern writer could picture.

Synonyms: beaded, decorated