бисер

Etymology

From Bulgar, from Arabic بُسْر‎ (busr, “unripe dates”) from the root ب س ر‎ (b-s-r) related to things being early, so applied to pearls because unripe dates can have some tactile and optical properties similar to pearls.

Noun

бисер • (biser) m

1. pearl
2. (colloquial) something silly but humorous and memorable that a person has said

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Church Slavonic бисьръ (bisĭrŭ, “pearls”), from Bulgar, from Arabic بُسْر‎ (busr, “unripe dates”) from the root ب س ر‎ (b-s-r) related to things being early, so applied to pearls because unripe dates can have some tactile and optical properties similar to pearls.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbʲisʲɪr]

Noun

би́сер • (bíser) m inan (genitive би́сера, uncountable)

1. beads

   вышивать бисером ― vyšivatʹ biserom ― to bead

   вышивка бисером ― vyšivka biserom ― beading, beadwork

   метать бисер перед свиньями ― metatʹ biser pered svinʹjami ― to cast pearls before swine

Etymology

From Bulgar, from Arabic بُسْر‎ (busr, “unripe dates”) from the root ب س ر‎ (b-s-r) related to things being early, so applied to pearls because unripe dates can have some tactile and optical properties similar to pearls.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bǐser/
• Hyphenation: би‧сер

Noun

бѝсер m (Latin spelling bìser)

1. pearl