Return to the home page.

Expand/collapse menu.

Visit Our Sites

Unabridged Dictionary

Learner's Dictionary

Word Central for Kids

Collegiate Dictionary

Expand/collapse menu.

Premium Services

Unabridged Dictionary

Collegiate Dictionary

Encyclopedia Britannica

Institutional Subscriptions

Expand/collapse menu.

Expand/collapse menu.

Word of the Day

Subscriber Help

Expand/collapse menu.

More Word Games

Daily Crosswords

Expand/collapse menu.

Open Dictionary

Alphabetical Browse

Browse Categories

Submit an Entry

Expand/collapse menu.

Spelling Bee Hive

Hive Headquarters

Spelling Champion

Spelling Reform

Expand/collapse menu.

Word for the Wise

Today's Broadcast

Expand/collapse menu.

Books and CD-Roms

Online Services

Palm and Pocket PC

Expand/collapse menu.

Looking Up a Word

Citing the Dictionary

Audio Pronunciations

Word Games Help

Expand/collapse menu.

Merriam-Webster FAQ

Advertising Info

Copyright Notice

Also Visit:
Unabridged
Visual

ESL:
Learner's
for Kids:
Word Central
Spell It!

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

gem

Entry Word:: gem
Function:: noun

Text: 1 a usually valuable stone cut and polished for ornament<a ring set with diamonds and other precious gems>Synonymsbrilliant, gemstone, jewelRelated Wordsbirthstone; baguette, cameo, scarab, solitaire, teardrop; paste, rhinestone, zirconNear Antonymsrough 2 someone or something unusually desirable<that new car is a real gem><she's dating a real gem these days>— see prize 1

Learn more about "gem" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "gem" in the Visual Thesaurus