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precious stone

American

noun

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

precious stone British

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of precious stone

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300

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.

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

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2024

An epaulette which includes a precious stone known as the Dresden White Diamond is still missing.

From BBC • 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

Her mother had just sold Hazel’s first precious stone: a small diamond.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023