# jasper

/ˈdʒæspɝ/ (US) · /dʒˈɑːspɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jasper
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a gemstone

noun · CEFR B2

a hard, colourful stone that is usually red, yellow, or brown and is used to make jewellery.

For teachers: an opaque, impure variety of silica or quartz, typically red, yellow, or brown, often used for decorative purposes or in lapidary work.

- She wore a necklace made of polished red jasper and silver beads.
- The artisan selected a slab of variegated jasper, intending to highlight its unique earthy bands in the final sculpture.

### 2. a person or guy

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Slang

a slang word for a man or a person, sometimes someone who seems simple or honest.

For teachers: a slang term for a fellow or individual, often implying a degree of simplicity or naivety.

- Some old jasper at the bar was telling stories about the war.
- The protagonist was portrayed as a harmless jasper, easily manipulated by the more cynical city dwellers he encountered.

### 3. a wasp

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect

a local name for a wasp used in some parts of southwest England.

For teachers: a regional colloquialism for a wasp, specifically associated with West Country dialects.

- Watch out for that jasper buzzing around your jam sandwich.
- The gardener warned the children to stay away from the nest, referring to the insects as jaspers in his local dialect.

## Examples

- She wore a necklace made of polished red jasper.
- The geologist identified the smooth, striped stone found on the beach as a piece of jasper.
- The ancient artisans favored jasper for its durability and rich hues, often carving it into intricate seals and amulets that have survived for millennia in remarkably good condition.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.