jewel

Etymology

From Middle English jewel, juwel, jeuel, juel, jowel, from Anglo-Norman juel, from Old French jouel, joel, joiel, of uncertain origin. Perhaps based ultimately on Latin gaudium (“joy”), or on Latin iocus (“joke; jest”). Compare Medieval Latin jocale.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒuːəl/, /ˈdʒuːl/, /ˈdʒʊəl/
• (Canada, General American) IPA^(key): /dʒul/, /ˈdʒu.əl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːl, -ʊəl
• Homophone: joule

Noun

jewel (plural jewels)

1. A precious or semi-precious stone; gem, gemstone.
2. A valuable object used for personal ornamentation, especially one made of precious metals and stones; a piece of jewellery.
   • ante 1611, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Cymbeline, act I, scene vi, lines 188–9:

     Iachimo: 'Tis plate of rare device, and jewels / Of rich and exquisite form, their values great.

3. (figuratively) Anything considered precious or valuable.

   Galveston was the jewel of Texas prior to the hurricane.

   • Shakespeare

     our prince (jewel of children)

4. A bearing for a pivot in a watch, formed of a crystal or precious stone.
5. (slang) The clitoris.
   • 2008, Another Time, Another Place: Five Novellas

     The area between her eyebrows wrinkled with the increasing circular motions her two fingers made on her jewel.

Verb

jewel (third-person singular simple present jewels, present participle jewelling or jeweling, simple past and past participle jewelled or jeweled)

1. To bejewel; to decorate or bedeck with jewels or gems.