precious stone

American  

noun

1. a gem distinguished for its beauty and rarity, used in jewelry.

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precious stone British  

noun

1. any of certain rare minerals, such as diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, or opal, that are highly valued as gemstones

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Etymology

Origin of precious stone

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

precious stone

I hover over them, careful not to breathe so that no precious stone gets fogged up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2024

Pieces still missing include an epaulette on which a precious stone known as the Dresden White Diamond was mounted.

From Reuters ● Dec. 17, 2022

The book’s theme plays off the author’s name: “Ruby” is a precious stone, and “Bridges” are meant to bring people together.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 5, 2022

So a precious stone from Persia was named "Turkey stone," and the French version of that name, "pierre turquoise," gave us the word "turquoise."

From Salon ● Nov. 25, 2021

For the precious stone had begun to glow a soft, serene radiance just like the moon.

From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin