jewelry

noun

jew·​el·​ry ˈjü-əl-rē 

ˈjül-rē, 

ˈju̇l-;

nonstandard ˈjü-lə-rē

variants US jewelry or chiefly British jewellery

: ornamental pieces (such as rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets) that are made of materials which may or may not be precious (such as gold, silver, glass, and plastic), are often set with genuine or imitation gems, and are worn for personal adornment

a collection of valuable jewelry

a jewelry store

see also costume jewelry

Did you know?

Objects designed for the adornment of the body are called jewelry. While modern jewelry is made of gold, silver, or platinum, often with precious or semiprecious stones, it evolved from shells, animal teeth, and other items used as body decoration in prehistoric times. Over the centuries it came to be a sign of social or religious rank, and in Renaissance Italy, jewelry-making reached the status of a fine art. By the 19th century, industrialization brought jewelry within the reach of the middle class. Firms opened by such jewelers as Carl Fabergé and Louis Comfort Tiffany achieved great success by making fine jewelry for the wealthy.

Examples of jewelry in a Sentence

a store that sells jewelry

Recent Examples on the Web

Both Swift and Kelce also wore Christian Louboutin shoes, and Swift accessorized with Cartier jewelry, her rep said. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 7 July 2026

Photos of wallets, textiles, sports equipment, photos, jewelry, signs, flags, quilts, stuffies, toys and camp trunks filled the page as strangers banded together in the comments sections, tagging potential rightful owners or friends with any leads. — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

With estimated sales totaling €32 billion and a growth rate between 4-6% for 2025, jewelry seems to be enjoying its brightest summer yet. — Milena Martins-Alexandre, Vogue, 6 July 2026

When Marie Antoinette was betrothed to the future King Louis XVI in 1770, she was given a suite of jewelry in a diamond-bow motif. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

jewel entry 1 + -ry

First Known Use

circa 1624, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing jewelry

• costume jewelry

Kids Definition

jewelry

noun

jew·​el·​ry ˈjü-əl-rē 

ˈjül-rē

: ornamental pieces (as rings and necklaces) worn on the person : jewels