jewel

¹ American  

[joo-uhl] / ˈdʒu əl /

noun

1. a cut and polished precious stone; gem.

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

3. a precious possession.

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

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

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

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

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verb (used with object)

jeweled, jeweling jewelled, jewelling

1. to set or adorn with jewels.

Jewel ² American  

[joo-uhl] / ˈdʒu əl /

noun

1. a female given name.

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jewel British  

/ ˈdʒuːəl /

noun

1. a precious or semiprecious stone; gem

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

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

4. a piece of jewellery

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

6. the most valuable, esteemed, or successful person or thing of a number

   who will be the jewel in the crown of English soccer?

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• jewel-like adjective
• jewelled adjective
• jewellike adjective
• unjeweled adjective
• unjewelled adjective

Etymology

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 -al ¹

Example Sentences

So for my annual holiday columna recommending great books about Southern California, I’m sticking to formats that lend themselves to easier reading — bite-size jewels of intellect, if you will.

From Los Angeles Times

“What are they worth?” asks Larry Lawton, a veteran American jewel thief.

From The Wall Street Journal

Authorities fear the jewels risk being broken down and sold off.

From The Wall Street Journal

Containing more than 250 images, each accompanied by a deft, deep caption, this selection of artworks, ephemera, photographs, fashion, jewels and objects is engaging, surprising and sometimes scary.

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead, they represented German high society, possessing “titles and jewels and impeccable contacts,” he writes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bauble
• bead
• bling
• gem
• gemstone
• ornament
• stone
• trinket