semiprecious

[ sem-ee-presh-uhs, sem-ahy- ]

/ ˌsɛm iˈprɛʃ əs, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

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adjective

(of a stone) having commercial value as a gem but not classified as precious, as the amethyst or garnet.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of semiprecious

First recorded in 1885–90; semi- + precious

Words nearby semiprecious

semiplastic, semipolar bond, semipolitical, semiporcelain, semipostal, semiprecious, semiprecious stone, semiprivate, semipro, semiprofessional, semipublic

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

How to use semiprecious in a sentence

The interior is exquisite with lacelike carvings inlaid with semiprecious stones.
Autobiography of a YOGI|Paramhansa Yogananda
Some special varieties of feldspar are cut or polished for semiprecious stones or decorative purposes.
Geology|William J. Miller
Certain transparent colored varieties of tourmaline rank high among the semiprecious stones.
Geology|William J. Miller
Stones and ores, some semiprecious, have come from all parts of the world to be patterned into this bright-colored shrine.
North Dakota|Various

They're beautiful, as you see, but they're not particularly valuable; only semiprecious.
Average Jones|Samuel Hopkins Adams

British Dictionary definitions for semiprecious

semiprecious

/ (ˌsɛmɪˈprɛʃəs) /

adjective

(of certain stones) having commercial value, but less than a precious stone

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