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Snarf Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary

Sweet Mother of Pearl

Should "mother of pearl" be capitalized in the expression "Sweet mother of pearl"?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Mother of pearl is an inorganic layer of some mollusk shells and has a gleam to it that makes it resemble pearls. I don't know of its use as an expression, but I'm sure there's no need to capitalize it.

— Philip

  • Mother of pearl is an inorganic layer of some mollusk shells and has a gleam to it that makes it resemble pearls.
  • I don't know of its use as an expression, but I'm sure there's no need to capitalize it.
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5 Answers
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Mother of pearl is an inorganic layer of some mollusk shells and has a gleam to it that makes it resemble pearls. I don't know of its use as an expression, but I'm sure there's no need to capitalize it.
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No. Mother-of-pearl is nothing but nacre. It does take hyphens. It is a euphemism for "mother of Jesus", Mary, here.
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enoonIt is a euphemism for "mother of Jesus", Mary,
I suspected that might be the case, but I had no experience with it as that meaning. And you're right...it does take hyphens.
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PhilipMother of pearl is an inorganic layer of some mollusk shells and has a gleam to it that makes it resemble pearls. I don't know of its use as an expression, but I'm sure there's no need to capitalize it.
Yeah, it's used, usually jokingly, in place of "Sweet Mother of ***." I guess if it's just a common noun, though, it wouldn't need caps.
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enoonNo. Mother-of-pearl is nothing but nacre. It does take hyphens. It is a euphemism for "mother of Jesus", Mary, here.
Oh, I didn't know about the hyphens; thanks for telling me that!
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