lapidary

¹lap·i·dary

noun \ˈla-pə-ˌder-ē\

plural lap·i·dar·ies

Definition of LAPIDARY

1

: a cutter, polisher, or engraver of precious stones usually other than diamonds

2

: the art of cutting gems

First Known Use of LAPIDARY

14th century

Other Jewelry Terms

bijou, brilliant, chase, facet, paste

Rhymes with LAPIDARY

actuary, adversary, airy-fairy, ancillary, antiquary, apiary, arbitrary, aviary, axillary, bacillary, beriberi, bestiary, biliary, black raspberry, Bloody Mary, boysenberry, breviary, budgetary, calamari, calamary, candleberry, Canterbury, capillary, carpellary, cassowary, catenary, cautionary, cavitary, cemetery, centenary, certiorari, checkerberry, chinaberry, cometary, commentary, commissary, condottiere, coralberry, corollary, coronary, culinary, customary, dictionary, dietary, dignitary, dromedary, dysentery, elderberry, emissary, estuary, farkleberry, February, formulary, fragmentary, fritillary, functionary, funerary, honorary, huckleberry, intermarry, janissary, January, lamasery, lectionary, legendary, legionary, lingonberry, literary, loganberry, luminary, mammillary, mandatary, maxillary, medullary, mercenary, miliary, military, millenary, milliary, millinery, missionary, momentary, monastery, mortuary, necessary, ordinary, ossuary, partridgeberry, pensionary, pigmentary, planetary, Pondicherry, prebendary, presbytery, pulmonary, quaternary, red mulberry, reliquary, rowanberry, salivary, salmonberry, salutary, sanctuary, sanguinary, sanitary, secondary, secretary, sedentary, seminary, silverberry, solitary, sour cherry, stationary, stationery, statuary, subcontrary, sublunary, sugarberry, sumptuary, syllabary, temporary, tertiary, thimbleberry, Tipperary, Tom and Jerry, topiary, tributary, tutelary, Typhoid Mary, unitary, urinary, vestiary, Virgin Mary, visionary, voluntary, vulnerary, Waterbury, whortleberry, winterberry

²lapidary

adjective

Definition of LAPIDARY

1

: having the elegance and precision associated with inscriptions on monumental stone <a stanza that has a lapidary dignity>

2

a : sculptured in or engraved on stone

b : of, relating to, or suggestive of precious stones or the art of cutting them

Origin of LAPIDARY

Latin lapidarius of stone, from lapid-, lapis stone

First Known Use: 1724

Other Jewelry Terms

bijou, brilliant, chase, facet, lapidary, paste