This blog is for everyone who uses words.

The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Sunday, 8 February 2015

Sunday Rest: nacre.

This is a baleful word for such a lovely thing.

Nacre is mother-of-pearl, but something in the sound - is it something to do with the echo of naked? No, it must be more than that - snuffs out its gleaming-cloud glory.

File:Abalone nacre.JPG
Photo by Mauro Cateb

Nacre is a hard word; even a cruel word. The shining paleness it conjures up is of blind eyes, or the bellies of dead fish.

Yes: yes, I really hate this one.

Word Not To Use Today: nacre. This word comes from French, from the Old Italian naccara, from the Arabic naqqārah, which means shell or drum.

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