jewel
B1Formal, literary, everyday (in figurative use).
Definition
Meaning
A precious stone, typically a single crystal, that is cut and polished and used in personal adornment.
A person or thing of great value, excellence, or beauty; a highly valued or admired quality.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes a precious stone (gemstone) but readily extends metaphorically to people and abstract qualities. The plural 'jewels' can refer to a collection of such stones or pieces of jewellery.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Spelling: 'jewellery' (UK) vs. 'jewelry' (US). The term 'jewel' for the regulator in a watch mechanism is standard in both.
Connotations
Largely identical. Slightly more common in figurative/literary use in UK English (e.g., 'the jewel in the crown').
Frequency
Similar frequency. The UK spelling variant 'jewellery' is more visually distinct from the singular 'jewel' than the US 'jewelry'.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[jewel] + [of + NP] (figurative: a jewel of a place)[jewel] + [in + NP] (the jewel in her collection)[NP] + [be] + [a jewel] (She is an absolute jewel.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the jewel in the crown”
- “a jewel of a person/place”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically to describe a highly profitable or strategic asset within a portfolio (e.g., 'the jewel of our retail division').
Academic
Rare in technical writing except in historical/art historical contexts describing artefacts.
Everyday
Common for describing actual jewellery items and for figurative praise (e.g., 'This little café is a real jewel.').
Technical
In horology, refers to a hard gemstone (e.g., ruby) used in a watch movement to reduce friction at pivot points.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The artisan will jewel the antique watch movement with synthetic rubies.
- The manuscript was jewelled with intricate illustrations.
American English
- The craftsman jeweled the vintage clock's bearings.
- Her speech was jeweled with witty remarks.
adverb
British English
- (Rare/poetic) The stars shone jewel-bright in the frosty sky.
American English
- (Rare/poetic) The city lay below, glittering jewel-like.
adjective
British English
- The jewel case was lined with velvet.
- They admired the jewel-like quality of the stained glass.
American English
- She kept it in a jewel box on her dresser.
- The dew made the spiderweb look jewel-like.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She lost a small jewel from her ring.
- The crown has many shiny jewels.
- The museum's jewel is a huge diamond from India.
- My grandmother gave me a box of her old jewels.
- The new arts centre is being hailed as the jewel in the city's cultural crown.
- He was a rough man with a heart of gold—a real jewel.
- The novel is a stylistic jewel, each sentence meticulously crafted.
- The activist was described as a jewel of the community for her tireless work.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a JEWel as something you find in a JEWellery box - a precious, shining object.
Conceptual Metaphor
VALUABLE PERSON/THING IS A JEWEL (e.g., 'She's a jewel.'); ACHIEVEMENT IS A JEWEL (e.g., 'the jewel of his career').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'бижутерия' (costume jewellery/fashion jewellery). 'Jewel' implies genuine precious stones/metals. 'Jewellery/jewelry' is the general category, translating as 'украшения' or 'драгоценности'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'She wore a beautiful jewel on her neck.' (Use 'piece of jewellery' or 'necklace' for the item; 'jewel' refers to the stone itself). Correct: 'The necklace was set with a beautiful blue jewel.'
- Overusing the plural 'jewels' to mean 'jewellery' in casual contexts can sound archaic or overly formal.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'jewel' used in a technical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A 'jewel' is a single precious stone. 'Jewellery' (UK)/'jewelry' (US) is the general term for decorative items worn for personal adornment (e.g., rings, necklaces), which may contain jewels.
Yes, very commonly in a figurative sense. A 'jewel' can be a person of great kindness, a beautifully preserved building, or the best part of something (e.g., 'the jewel in the crown').
The standard plural is 'jewels'. It can mean multiple precious stones or, in a slightly old-fashioned sense, a collection of pieces of jewellery.
Yes, this is a common and positive figurative expression meaning she is a very kind, helpful, or valuable person.