Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

birthstone

American  
[burth-stohn] / ˈbɜrθˌstoʊn /

noun

  1. a precious or semiprecious stone traditionally associated with a particular month or sign of the zodiac and believed to attract good fortune.

birthstone British  
/ ˈbɜːθˌstəʊn /

noun

  1. a precious or semiprecious stone associated with a month or sign of the zodiac and thought to bring luck if worn by a person born in that month or under that sign

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Modern alternatives continue to be added. A birthstone can also be linked to a person’s zodiac sign.Example: I have a ring with my birthstone that’s my favorite piece of jewelry.

Etymology

Origin of birthstone

First recorded in 1905–10; birth + stone

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

You’ll have fun customizing Ariel Gordon’s handmade dual birthstone ring, which features two birthstones set in a slim open-cuff gold band.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2023

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

Claudia looked at her guide’s skin and thought of smoky topaz: November, her mother’s birthstone.

From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg

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.