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sɪzDictionary.com Unabridged
noun
1.
a cut and polished precious stone or pearl fine enough for use in jewelry.
2.
something likened to or prized as such a stone because of its beauty or worth: His painting was the gem of the collection.
3.
a person held in great esteem or affection.
4.
muffin ( def 1 ).
5.
British Printing. a 4-point type of a size between brilliant and diamond.
verb (used with object)
6.
to adorn with or as with gems; begem.
adjective
7.
Jewelry. noting perfection or very high quality: gem color; a gem ruby.
Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English gemme < Old French < Latin gemma bud, jewel; replacing Middle English yimme, Old English gim(m) < Latin
1275–1325; Middle English gemme < Old French < Latin gemma bud, jewel; replacing Middle English yimme, Old English gim(m) < Latin
Related forms
gem·less, adjective
gem·like, adjective
Synonyms
2. treasure, prize, jewel, pearl.
2. treasure, prize, jewel, pearl.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To gems
00:10
Gems
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
gem (dʒɛm) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a precious or semiprecious stone used in jewellery as a decoration; jewel |
| 2. | a person or thing held to be a perfect example; treasure |
| 3. | a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 4 point |
| 4. | (NZ) a type of small sweet cake |
| —vb , gems, gemming, gemmed | |
| 5. | (tr) to set or ornament with gems |
| [C14: from Old French gemme, from Latin gemma bud, precious stone] | |
| 'gemlike | |
| —adj | |
| 'gemmy | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
gem
O.E. gim, from L. gemma "precious stone, jewel," originally "bud," from the root *gen- "to produce" (see genus).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Abbreviations & Acronyms
GEM
|
| GEMS Global Environment Monitoring System |
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Street artists paint tiny gems amid the growing downtown squalor.
He is now experimenting with drilling holes in the gems and knotting them together in varying configurations.
They have all kinds of bright lights and the gems and jewelry really reflect the light up into your face.
Few of the artists are household names, but there are plenty of gems that reflect his lively curiosity and idiosyncratic taste.
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