precious stone

noun

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

precious stone

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of precious stone¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300

Example Sentences

In 1970, the giant gold-plated necklace engraved with precious stones went missing from the Temple of Taleju - the goddess known as the chief protective deity of Nepal.

From BBC

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

From Los Angeles Times

Panna is famed for its diamond reserves and people often lease cheap, shallow mines from the government to hunt for the precious stone.

From BBC

“A precious stone collection could be displayed in an antique letterpress drawer. You can put a piece of glass over it and make it into a side table or a coffee table,” Araujo says.

From Seattle Times

Three hulking partial wheels of cheese form the backdrop for a veritable bounty of eggs, crab, shrimp and boiled lobster, arranged amid gilded and pewter-topped vessels and silverware inlaid with precious stones.

From Salon