gem

Etymology

From Middle English gemme, from Old English gim, gimm (“gem”) and Old French gemme (“gem”); both from Latin gemma (“a swelling bud; a jewel; gem”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: jĕm, IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɛm/
  • (pin–pen merger) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɪm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛm
• Homophones: jam, jamb

Noun

gem (plural gems)

1. A precious stone, usually of substantial monetary value or prized for its beauty or shine.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)

   • 2012 March 1, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist‎, volume 100, number 2, page 128:

     Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.

2. (figuratively) any precious or highly valued thing or person

   She's an absolute gem.

   • 2017 January 20, Annie Zaleski, “AFI sounds refreshed and rejuvenated on its 10th album, AFI (The Blood Album)”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     Standout “Hidden Knives” is the kind of new wave-leaning punk gem John Hughes would’ve loved, while “So Beneath You” is a teeth-baring, roiling tune.

3. Anything of small size, or expressed within brief limits, which is regarded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, such as a small picture, a verse of poetry, or an epigram.

   a gem of wit

4. (obsolete) a gemma or leaf-bud
   • Denham

     From the joints of thy prolific stem / A swelling knot is raised called a gem.

5. a type of geometrid moth, Orthonama obstipata
6. (computing) A package containing programs or libraries for the Ruby programming language.
7. (uncountable, printing, uncommon, obsolete) A size of type between brilliant (4-point) and diamond (4½-point), running 222 lines to the foot.

Verb

gem (third-person singular simple present gems, present participle gemming, simple past and past participle gemmed)

1. (transitive) To adorn with, or as if with, gems.
   • 1827, Various, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 10,‎:

     A few bright and beautiful stars gemmed the wide concave of heaven […] .

   • 1872, J. Fenimore Cooper, The Bravo‎:

     Above was the firmament, gemmed with worlds, and sublime in immensity.

   • 1920, John Freeman, Poems New and Old‎:

     The rain Shook from fruit bushes in new showers again As I brushed past, and gemmed the window pane.

Anagrams

• EGM, EMG, MEG, Meg, meg, meg-

Verb

gem

1. to give

References

• Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Ünsarne Börtar [Our Words], Luserna: Comitato unitario delle linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Verb

gem

1. imperative of gemme

Noun

gem

1. body

Etymology 1

From English jam.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡeːm/

Noun

gem n

1. a paper clip
2. (tennis) a game; part of a set

References

• gem in Svenska Akademiens Ordlista över svenska språket (13th ed., online)
• gem in Svenska Akademiens ordbok online.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡem]

Noun

gem (plural gems)

1. sibling
   • 1949, "Lifajenäd brefik cifala: ‚Jakob Sprenger‛", in Volapükagased pro Nedänapükans, issue 4, 13-14.

     ‚Jakob‛ äbinom cil mälid se gems vel: blods lul e sörs tel.

     Jakob was the fifth child out of seven siblings: five brothers and two sisters.