jewel

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A precious stone, especially one set in a ring or necklace.

   The crown was covered with sparkling jewels.

2. 2
   noun

   A person or thing that is especially valuable or admired.

   This old town is the jewel of the region.

3. 3
   verb

   To decorate something with precious stones.

   She wore a jeweled crown.

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.

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