# jewel

/ˈdʒuəɫ/ (US) · /dʒˈuːəl/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. a gemstone

noun · CEFR A2

a precious stone, such as a diamond, ruby, or emerald.

For teachers: a precious or semi-precious stone, often cut and polished for use in ornamentation.

- The crown was covered in large red jewels that sparkled in the light.
- The geologist identified the raw stone as a rare jewel, noting its unusual clarity and deep violet hue before it was sent for cutting.

### 2. jewellery

noun · CEFR A2

an ornament or piece of jewellery made with precious stones and metal.

For teachers: an object of personal adornment, typically made of precious metal and set with gemstones.

- She kept her most expensive jewels in a locked box under the bed.
- The museum's collection includes several ancient jewels recovered from royal tombs, showcasing the intricate goldwork of the period.

### 3. something/someone special

noun · CEFR B2

a person or thing that is very valuable, helpful, or beautiful.

For teachers: a person or thing regarded as particularly valuable, excellent, or prized.

- This little café is a real jewel in an otherwise boring part of town.
- The young researcher proved to be the jewel of the department, consistently producing groundbreaking work that secured several major grants.

### 4. watch part

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a tiny hard stone used inside a watch to help the parts move smoothly.

For teachers: a synthetic or natural gemstone used as a low-friction bearing in a mechanical watch movement.

- The watchmaker explained that the watch had seventeen jewels to keep it accurate.
- High-end mechanical movements often feature a high jewel count to minimise wear on the delicate pivots during decades of operation.

### 5. to decorate with gems

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to decorate something with many small jewels.

For teachers: to decorate, set, or bedeck an object with gemstones.

- The handle of the sword was jewelled with small blue stones.
- The artisan spent months jewelling the ceremonial mask, carefully placing each sapphire to catch the flickering torchlight during the festival.

## Examples

- She wore a beautiful gold ring with a small blue jewel.
- The museum's collection includes a rare jewel that once belonged to a royal family.
- While the crown was impressive, the real jewel of the exhibition was the collection of hand-written letters from the queen to her advisors.

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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.