jewel

jewel — noun

1. a hard, shiny stone that is cut and polished to make it bright, valued for its r

1.nounB1
Definition

a hard, shiny stone that is cut and polished to make it bright, valued for its rarity and beauty, for example a diamond or a ruby

Example

Kwame gave his grandmother a small velvet box with a blue jewel inside.

countable: 'a blue jewel' with colour + container

The queen’s crown was covered with jewels from around the world.

Common collocations
  • cut/polish a jewel
  • a rare jewel
  • a precious jewel
  • jewel necklace
  • crown jewels
Synonyms
  • gem

    the most common everyday word for a cut precious stone; also used metaphorically

  • gemstone

    more technical term used in mineralogy and the jewellery trade

  • precious stone

    broader category that explicitly signals the stone's high value

Usage Note

Commonly used with colour words (blue jewel, red jewel) and with names of specific stones (diamond, ruby, emerald) as the type of jewel.

Common Mistakes

❖ 'She wore a jewel on her finger.' ✔ 'She wore a ring with a jewel on her finger.' — 'a jewel' alone describes a stone, not the whole piece of jewellery; specify what kind of jewellery holds it.

2. a very small, precisely shaped stone or synthetic part inside a watch that helps

2.nounB2
Definition

a very small, precisely shaped stone or synthetic part inside a watch that helps the moving parts work smoothly by reducing rubbing

Example

This Swiss watch has twenty-one jewels inside its mechanical movement.

countable: 'number + jewels' specifying quantity

Samir asked the watchmaker how many jewels his new watch contained.

Common collocations
  • jewel movement
  • 21-jewel watch
  • synthetic jewel
Synonyms

Usage Note

Usually used to describe the quality of a watch: 'a 21-jewel watch', 'a 17-jewel movement'. The more jewels, the more precise the watch is considered. Synthetic rubies are the most common material.

3. objects such as rings, necklaces, and earrings that people wear to adorn themsel

3.nounB1
Definition

objects such as rings, necklaces, and earrings that people wear to adorn themselves, typically crafted from costly metals and holding cut stones

Example

Salma wore her mother’s gold jewels at the wedding ceremony.

collocation: gold jewels / diamond jewels (metal/stone + jewels)

The thief stole jewels worth over two million dollars from the mansion.

Common collocations
  • wear jewels
  • diamond jewels
  • gold jewels
  • family jewels
  • stolen jewels
Synonyms
  • jewellery

    uncountable term preferred in UK English for the general category

  • jewelry

    American English spelling of the same uncountable term

  • ornaments

    broader term; includes decorative items not made from precious materials

Usage Note

In British English, 'jewellery' is the preferred term for this sense. 'Jewels' as countable items often suggests individual valuable pieces (a necklace, a ring, a brooch) rather than decorative objects in general.

4. something that is extremely beautiful, valuable, or important to someone, often

4.nounB2
Definition

something that is extremely beautiful, valuable, or important to someone, often the best part of a larger group or collection

Example

This old painting is the jewel of the museum’s entire collection.

pattern: 'the jewel of [group]' — best item in a collection

The garden behind the house was a secret jewel in the middle of the city.

Common collocations
  • the jewel of
  • hidden jewel
  • precious jewel
  • crown jewel
Synonyms
  • treasure

    similar meaning but 'treasure' emphasises emotional value, 'jewel' emphasises exceptional quality

  • prize

    focuses on being the most desired or admired item

  • gem

    common metaphorical equivalent; 'gem of a film / gem of an idea'

Grammar Patterns

the jewel of [something]

jewel in the crown

Usage Note

Frequently used in the pattern 'the jewel of [something]' to name the best or most admired part within a larger set. The idiom 'jewel in the crown' uses this sense metaphorically.

5. someone who is extremely kind, helpful, or generous, so that being around them i

5.nounB2
Definition

someone who is extremely kind, helpful, or generous, so that being around them is a genuine pleasure

Example

Tamar is a real jewel — she always helps when someone is in trouble.

collocation: 'a real jewel' for a genuinely kind person

Mr. Chen is an absolute jewel; he drives us to the station every week.

Common collocations
  • a real jewel
  • an absolute jewel
  • a jewel of a woman/man
Synonyms
  • gem

    more common; 'she is an absolute gem' has the same meaning with the same grammar pattern

  • treasure

    similar; 'he is a treasure' suggests someone whose help is indispensable

Grammar Patterns

a jewel of a [person]

Usage Note

Always used with an indefinite article or 'a real / an absolute' before it. Mostly British English in informal contexts. The person being praised is usually not present when this is said about them.

Common Mistakes

❖ 'She is jewel.' ✔ 'She is a jewel.' — 'jewel' is a countable noun and needs an article in this pattern.

Idioms

jewel in the crown

idiom

the most valuable, admired, or successful part of something, especially among a group of related things

The new art gallery is the jewel in the crown of the city’s cultural district.

For the company, their research laboratory is the jewel in the crown and attracts the best scientists.

the jewel in the crown

idiom

The best or most important part of a group or collection.

The old library was the jewel in the crown of the university.

Is this park the jewel in the crown of the city's green spaces?

jewel — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all refer to a cut, polished mineral valued for its beauty, but they differ in register and context. 'Gem' is the most common everyday word; you would say 'she wore a beautiful gem' in casual conversation, and it also works metaphorically ('a gem of a restaurant'). 'Gemstone' is more technical and is used in mineralogy, jewellery trade catalogues, and educational contexts ('the gemstone market', 'a gemstone identification chart'). 'Precious stone' is a broader category that explicitly signals high value and often appears in historical or descriptive writing ('the crown was set with precious stones'). 'Stone' is the most informal option and relies on context to distinguish from ordinary rock; a jeweller might say 'what stone is this?' but would rarely write it in a formal report. In practice, 'gem' is the safest choice for learners in most situations, while 'gemstone' adds precision in technical contexts.

gem ↗gemstoneprecious stonestone ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'jewel' entered English around the 13th century from Anglo-French 'juel', which came from Old French 'jouel' (a valuable ornamental object). Going further back, the Latin root 'jocus' originally meant 'joke' or 'play', and from this came the Vulgar Latin 'jocale', meaning 'a plaything' or 'something to amuse'. Over time, the meaning shifted from a general 'plaything' to a specifically valuable object worn for decoration. The modern spelling settled in the 16th century.