n.
Pronunciation: ' p ə r(- ə )- ˌ l ī t
Function: noun
Etymology: French perlite, from perle pearl
Date: 1888
: the lamellar mixture of ferrite and cementite in slowly cooled iron-carbon alloys occurring normally as a principal constituent of both steel and cast iron
– pearl · it · ic \ ˌ p ə r- ' li-tik \ adjective