gem

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A precious or semiprecious stone that has been cut and polished, especially for jewellery.

   The ring was set with a brilliant green gem.

2. 2
   noun

   A person or thing that is especially valuable, excellent, or delightful.

   This little café is a real gem.

3. 3
   verb

   To decorate something with gems, or as if with gems.

   Dew gemmed the grass in the early morning light.

Inherited from Middle English gemme, gimme, yimme, ȝimme, from Old English ġimm, from Proto-West Germanic *gimmu (“gem”) and Old French gemme (“gem”), both from Latin gemma (“a swelling bud; jewel, gem”). Doublet of gemma and Gemma.

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