jewel

¹

[ joo-uhl ]

noun

1. a cut and polished precious stone; gem.
2. a fashioned ornament for personal adornment, especially of a precious metal set with gems.
3. a precious possession.
4. a person or thing that is treasured, esteemed, or indispensable.
5. a durable bearing used in fine timepieces and other delicate instruments, made of natural or synthetic precious stone or other very hard material.
6. an ornamental boss of glass, sometimes cut with facets, in stained-glass work.
7. something resembling a jewel in appearance, ornamental effect, or the like, as a star.

verb (used with object)

jeweled, jeweling or (especially British) jewelled, jewelling.

1. to set or adorn with jewels.

Jewel

²

[ joo-uhl ]

noun

1. a female given name.

jewel

/ ˈdʒuːəl /

noun

1. a precious or semiprecious stone; gem
2. a person or thing resembling a jewel in preciousness, brilliance, etc
3. a gemstone, often synthetically produced, used as a bearing in a watch
4. a piece of jewellery
5. an ornamental glass boss, sometimes faceted, used in stained glasswork
6. jewel in the crown
   the most valuable, esteemed, or successful person or thing of a number

   who will be the jewel in the crown of English soccer?

verb

1. tr to fit or decorate with a jewel or jewels

Derived Forms

• ˈjewelled, adjective
• ˈjewel-ˌlike, adjective

Other Word Forms

• jewel·like adjective
• un·jeweled adjective
• un·jewelled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of jewel¹

1250–1300; Middle English jouel juel < Anglo-French jeul, Old French jouel, joel < Vulgar Latin *jocāle plaything, noun use of neuter of *jocālis (adj.) of play, equivalent to Latin joc ( us ) joke + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of jewel¹

C13: from Old French jouel, perhaps from jeu game, from Latin jocus

Example Sentences

Millions of dollars in gold and jewels were stolen from a downtown Los Angeles jeweler’s two enormous safes after burglars tunneled into the Broadway shop through multiple reinforced walls, police said.

From Los Angeles Times

This is a different kind of World War II love story, about a hidden jewel and the power of radio waves and the mysterious ways in which human decency can survive even the cruelest circumstances.

From Los Angeles Times

Some analysts have speculated that there is another jewel in the crown of IDS - and that Mr Kretinsky may really be after a different part of the business.

From BBC

The Cowboys are at the cutting edge of NFL marketing, and the Star, which opened in 2016, is as much a crown jewel to the franchise as AT&T Stadium.

From Los Angeles Times

"Everything the canal supports is at threat - we risk losing the jewel in the crown of south Wales," said Tracey Leake-Jones, who runs the Bridge 46 to Five Locks canal group.

From BBC

Related Words

• bauble
• bead
• bling
• gem
• gemstone
• ornament
• stone
• trinket