birthstone
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What does birthstone mean? A birthstone is a precious or semiprecious stone associated with a particular month. Some people wear jewelry with the stone that corresponds with the month they were born. Here is a list of the birthstones that have traditionally been associated with each month, along with some of their modern alternatives.
- January: garnet
- February: amethyst
- March: bloodstone (or aquamarine)
- April: diamond
- May: emerald
- June: pearl (or alexandrite or moonstone)
- July: ruby
- August: sardonyx (or peridot or spinel)
- September: sapphire
- October: opal (or tourmaline)
- November: topaz (or citrine)
- December: turquoise or lapis (or blue zircon or blue topaz or tanzanite)
Etymology
Origin of birthstone
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For the mission, Hansen is carrying four Moon-shaped pendants, each with a birthstone representing his wife and three teenage children.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
If you’re looking for a gift idea that includes the December birthstone turquoise, you’re in luck.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2022
She sought out a Black female designer to create a bespoke engagement ring, and landed upon Maggi Simpkins, who customized the ring with a ruby, Ms. Hardy’s birthstone, beneath the diamond setting.
From New York Times • Feb. 11, 2022
Last year, for Mother’s Day, he bought me a necklace with her birthstone.
From Slate • Sep. 25, 2017
Becky showed off her favorite matching necklace and earrings—“It’s my birthstone, yellow topaz”—followed by some of the seashells she’d found at the beach.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
