gem

1 of 3

noun

ˈjem How to pronounce gem (audio)
Synonyms of gemnext
1
a
: jewel
b
: a precious or sometimes semiprecious stone cut and polished for ornament
2
a
: something prized especially for great beauty or perfection
b
: a highly prized or well-beloved person
3
: muffin

gem

2 of 3

verb

gemmed; gemming

transitive verb

: to adorn with or as if with gems

GEM

3 of 3

abbreviation

ground-effect machine

Synonyms

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of gem in a Sentence

Noun The house is a gem of colonial architecture. He pitched a gem of a game. Her most recent novel is a real gem.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Lot 22 is an absolute gem for anyone following the vintage Rolex market. — Thomas Wojtowicz, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 One of these modernist gems just popped up for sale on the suburban outskirts of Los Angeles, in the quaint village of Sierra Madre. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
Consider this Tata Harper gem the fountain of youth in oil form. — Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 29 Nov. 2022 Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have also laid claim to gem as well, which was the possession of many rulers, including India’s Mughal emperors, before coming into the hands of the British monarchy. — Niha Masih, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2022 See All Example Sentences for gem

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English gemme, from Anglo-French, from Latin gemma bud, gem

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1610, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gem was in the 14th century

Rhymes for gem

See All Rhymes for gem

Browse Nearby Words

GEM
gem
Gemara
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gem. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

gem

noun
ˈjem
1
a
: jewel entry 1
b
: a usually valuable stone cut and polished for ornament
2
: something prized as being beautiful or perfect
gem verb

More from Merriam-Webster on gem

Nglish: Translation of gem for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gem

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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