- a precious or semiprecious stone used in jewellery as a decoration; jewel
- a person or thing held to be a perfect example; treasure
- (transitive) to set or ornament with gems
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
gems
(gems),USA pronunciation n., pl. gems•es
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026-
(gem′siz, -ziz).USA pronunciation
- Mammalschamois (def. 1).
- Late Latin camoc- (stem of camox)
- German; Old High German gamiza
gem /dʒɛm/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [countable]
- Jewelrya mineral, pearl, or other natural substance valued for its rarity and beauty and used in jewelry:diamonds and other gems.
- something prized because of its beauty or worth:That new book is a gem.
- a person held in great esteem or affection.
gem
( jem),USA pronunciation n., v., gemmed, gem•ming, adj.
n.
v.t.
adj.
gem′less, adj.
gem′like′, adj.
n.
- Jewelrya cut and polished precious stone or pearl fine enough for use in jewelry.
- something likened to or prized as such a stone because of its beauty or worth:His painting was the gem of the collection.
- a person held in great esteem or affection.
- Foodmuffin (def. 1).
- Printinga 4-point type of a size between brilliant and diamond.
v.t.
- to adorn with or as with gems;
begem.
adj.
- Jewelrynoting perfection or very high quality:gem color; a gem ruby.
- Latin
- Latin gemma bud, jewel; replacing Middle English yimme, Old English gim(m)
- Old French
- Middle English gemme 1275–1325
gem′like′, adj.
- 2. treasure, prize, jewel, pearl.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
gem /dʒɛm/ n
'gems' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
gem
- gemology
- optical flint
- paste
- rhinestone
- ring
- treasure
- avoirdupois weight
- band
- begem
- beryl
- bezel
- boule
- cabochon
- cat's-eye
- chamois
- corundum
- crown
- dazzle
- enchase
- gemmate
- gemmy
- gemsbok
- glyptic
- glyptography
- goose
- jewel
- Juliet cap
- lap
- lapidary
- lapis
- moonstone
- mounted
- oriental
- package
- rivière
- tourmaline
- troy weight
- Saba
- set
- sight
- skeif
- spinel
- spodumene