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

Her independent fine jewelry line includes engagement rings, wedding bands, and one-of-a-kind stunners. —Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026

In addition to missing luggage, Travel + Leisure writers have also misplaced their passports, laptops, and even jewelry while on trips. —Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026

Like many pieces of royal jewelry, the late Queen’s engagement ring represents decades of royal history. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026

Once on the festival grounds, Kylie wore a ruffled, open front white Ann Demeulemeester top, paired with Levi’s 94 baggy jeans in a pale blue wash, Staud Freja leather thong sandals, a Chrome Hearts white gold belly chain, and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 12 Apr. 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