gem — a precious or semi-precious stone, especially when cut and polished
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a precious or semi-precious stone, especially when cut and polished
Pronunciation (IPA): /dʒem/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother's ring has a beautiful ruby gem that catches everyone's eye.
- This small café is a real gem - their coffee tastes like liquid gold!
- The teacher called him 'a gem of a student' because he always helped his classmates.
gem
NOUN[/dʒem/]
a precious or semi-precious stone, especially when cut and polished
Sparkling precious stones and diamonds
Find the gem growing on each stem - nature's gift to them!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Latin gemma, originally meaning 'bud' or 'flower bud.' The meaning evolved metaphorically to denote precious stones, as buds are valued for their delicate beauty and potential for growth, paralleling how gems are treasured for their rarity and brilliance.
Breakdown
Latin gemma (bud, precious stone) → English gem. The root gemma underwent semantic shift from botanical to mineralogical contexts while maintaining its core sense of something precious and beautiful.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother's ring has a beautiful ruby gem that catches everyone's eye.”
“This small café is a real gem - their coffee tastes like liquid gold!”
“The teacher called him 'a gem of a student' because he always helped his classmates.”
“She found a gem of an idea while eating breakfast - why not sell cereal-flavored ice cream?”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.