jewel

[ joo-uhl ]

/ ˈdʒu əl /

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See synonyms for jewel on Thesaurus.com

noun

a cut and polished precious stone; gem.

a fashioned ornament for personal adornment, especially of a precious metal set with gems.

a precious possession.

a person or thing that is treasured, esteemed, or indispensable.

a durable bearing used in fine timepieces and other delicate instruments, made of natural or synthetic precious stone or other very hard material.

an ornamental boss of glass, sometimes cut with facets, in stained-glass work.

something resembling a jewel in appearance, ornamental effect, or the like, as a star.

verb (used with object), jew·eled, jew·el·ing or (especially British) jew·elled, jew·el·ling.

to set or adorn with jewels.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of jewel

1250–1300; Middle English jouel juel<Anglo-French jeul,Old French jouel, joel<Vulgar Latin *jocāle plaything, noun use of neuter of *jocālis (adj.) of play, equivalent to Latin joc(us) joke + -ālis-al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM jewel

jew·el·like, adjectiveun·jew·eled, adjectiveun·jew·elled, adjective

Words nearby jewel

jeunesse dorée, jeux d'esprit, Jevons, Jew, Jew-baiting, jewel, jewel block, jewel box, jewel case, jeweler, jewelers' putty

Other definitions for jewel (2 of 2)

Jewel

[ joo-uhl ]

/ ˈdʒu əl /

noun

a female given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use jewel in a sentence

Svo turned up with an associate dressed in police uniforms and confiscated 800,000 rubles’ worth of cash and jewels, then told the mark to report himself to the local authorities the next day.
The Mobster Who Brought Armenia and Azerbaijan Together … in Death|Fiona Zublin|October 9, 2020|Ozy
If you weren’t told it was a prison, the “crown jewel” of prisons, you might not know.
The Best Places to Be Locked Up If You Love Luxury|Eugene Robinson|October 7, 2020|Ozy
This book is a jewel, and soon it will be translated into English so that many others can learn about your incredible life.
A letter to Soraya Santiago (1947-2020)|Wilfred W. Labiosa|September 30, 2020|Washington Blade
Denver, the mile-high city, is the largest in a 600-mile radius and the jewel of Colorado.
Denver: Where the Queer Community is a Mile High|LGBTQ-Editor|July 14, 2020|No Straight News

So it’s surrounded by desert, and it’s this kind of emerald jewel in the middle of sub-Saharan Africa.
How to Make Meetings Less Terrible (Ep. 389)|Stephen J. Dubner|September 19, 2019|Freakonomics
“The agency tasked with protecting the highest office in our land should be the crown jewel of federal law enforcement,” he said.
Why Secret Service Chief Julia Pierson Was Shown the Door|Tim Mak|October 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After all, the Hamptons has the reputation of being an artistic jewel in the East Coast crown.
The Hell of the Hamptons: Why the Exclusive Hotspot Is a Mind-Numbing Drag|Robert Gold|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These days, Tirico announces everything from the World Cup to the NBA Finals to the crown jewel, Monday Night Football.
ESPN: The Worldwide Leader in Pricks|Marlow Stern|July 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For dinner, Sidney Street Café, the jewel in St. Louis' culinary crown.
Get Cultured on Your Weekend Getaway: Best Trips for Art Lovers|Condé Nast Traveler|January 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the end, internal conflict tore apart the New Jewel Movement.
Remembering The Invasion of Grenada 30 Years On|Michael Ledeen|October 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
You never know when you are going to stumble upon a jewel in the most out-of-the-way corner.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
The quiet of the deserted building incircled the little, glowing room as the velvet incircles the jewel in its case.
Uncanny Tales|Various
With such an assembly at hand the time was ripe for selling Daisy-Jewel to the highest bidder.
Dorothy at Skyrie|Evelyn Raymond
And I put a jewel upon thy forehead and earrings in thy ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
Automatically, as a result of habit, she unlocked her jewel-case and took out a tiny phial containing minute cachets.
Dope|Sax Rohmer

British Dictionary definitions for jewel

jewel

/ (ˈdʒuːəl) /

noun

a precious or semiprecious stone; gem

a person or thing resembling a jewel in preciousness, brilliance, etc

a gemstone, often synthetically produced, used as a bearing in a watch

a piece of jewellery

an ornamental glass boss, sometimes faceted, used in stained glasswork

jewel in the crown the most valuable, esteemed, or successful person or thing of a numberwho will be the jewel in the crown of English soccer?

verb -els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled

(tr) to fit or decorate with a jewel or jewels

Derived forms of jewel

jewelled or US jeweled, adjectivejewel-like, adjective

Word Origin for jewel

C13: from Old French jouel, perhaps from jeu game, from Latin jocus

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

jewel

Origin of jewel

OTHER WORDS FROM jewel

Words nearby jewel

Other definitions for jewel (2 of 2)

Words related to jewel

How to use jewel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for jewel

Derived forms of jewel

Word Origin for jewel