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Glite Dictionary
pearl onion

pearl onion

1 3.2
A small round onion with a mild sweet taste used whole in cooking
  • noun
  • /pɜrl ˈʌnɪn/
translation icon : cebolla perla
  • For a delicious side dish, sauté the pearl onions with butter and herbs.
  • a cup of pearl onions
  • frozen pearl onions
  • pearl onion sauce

Examples

  • The chef used pearl onions in the stew.

  • Pearl onion pickles are a popular addition to holiday platters.

  • She added a handful of pearl onions to the stew for extra sweetness.

  • The chef sautéed pearl onions in butter and served them alongside the roast.

  • I love adding pearl onions to my salads.

  • The chef roasted the pearl onions until they caramelized and became sweet.

  • In the recipe, add the pearl onions whole for a milder flavor in the stew.

How Mild

Vidalia onion
  • US
1 3.6
pearl onion
1 3.2
red onion
10 1.0
onion
393 1.0

Surface Forms

pearl onion singular
pearl onions plural

Morphology

pearl + onion

The compound is compositionally transparent: a learner who knows 'pearl' (small, round lustrous object) and 'onion' (round cooking vegetable) can infer this refers to an onion that is small and pearl-like in size/shape. The naming reflects a straightforward perceptual/size metaphor rather than an idiomatic meaning, so B1 learners who know both constituents should understand it.

Etymology

Pearl onion likely gets its name from the tiny, round shape and pale, shiny skin that made people think of a pearl and a small onion. So the name now means a 'very small' onion often cooked 'whole'.