Meanings
interjection
Synonyms & antonyms
interjectionGood gracious; good heavens.
Similar
Origin
Of unknown origins. Attested from the late 19th century. Presumably a euphemism for sweet mother of God or sweet mother of Jesus, using mother-of-pearl.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
sweet mother of pearl. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sweet%20mother%20of%20pearl
MLA
“sweet mother of pearl.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sweet%20mother%20of%20pearl. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sweet mother of pearl,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sweet%20mother%20of%20pearl.
Source: sweet mother of pearl on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.