English Online Dictionary. What means jewel? What does jewel mean?
English
Etymology
From Middle English juel, jewel, juwel, jeuel, jowel, from Anglo-Norman juel, from Old French jouel, joel, joïel, hence French joyau, 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): /ˈd͡ʒuːəl/, /ˈd͡ʒuːl/, /ˈd͡ʒʊəl/
- (Canada, General American) IPA(key): /d͡ʒul/, /ˈd͡ʒu.əl/
- (Scotland, Northern Ireland) IPA(key): /d͡ʒʉl/, /d͡ʒʉ.əl/
- Rhymes: -uːl, -ʊəl
- Homophones: joule; duel, dual (yod-coalescence)
Noun
jewel (plural jewels)
- A precious or semi-precious stone; gem, gemstone.
- A valuable object used for personal ornamentation, especially one made of precious metals and stones; a piece of jewellery.
- (figuratively) Anything precious or valuable.
- (horology) A bearing for a pivot in a watch, formed of a crystal or precious stone.
- Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the genus Hypochrysops.
- (slang) The clitoris.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:gemstone
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
jewel (third-person singular simple present jewels, present participle jewelling or jeweling, simple past and past participle jewelled or jeweled)
- To bejewel; to decorate or bedeck with jewels or gems.
Translations
Middle English
Noun
jewel
- Alternative form of juel