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Added 9 October 2026

jewel

/ˈd͡ʒuːəl/ noun

In Latin: gemma Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about jewel at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry.
A person who is as brilliant and precious as a piece of jewelry.

verb

Adorn or decorate with precious stones.
jeweled dresses

Origin

From Middle English juel, jewel, juwel, jeuel, jowel, from Anglo-Norman juel, from Old French jouel, joel, joïel, hence French joyau, of uncertain origin. Perhaps based ultimately on Latin gaudium (“joy”), or on Latin iocus (“joke; jest”), or according to Pihan, from Arabic جَوْهَر (jawhar). Compare Medieval Latin jocale. Displaced native Old English māþm.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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