jewelry

noun

jew·el·ry | \ ˈjü-əl-rē

, ˈjül-rē, ˈju̇l-; nonstandard ˈjü-lə-rē\

variants: or chiefly British jewellery

Definition of jewelry

: 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? More Example Sentences Learn More about jewelry

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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

For anyone who has ever wondered what goes into the making of the finest jewelry—and... — Laura Jacobs, WSJ, "‘A View From the Jeweler’s Bench’ Review: A Glittering Education," 27 Feb. 2019 In the jewelry brand's 142-year history, Gaga is only the third person ever to wear the massive diamond. — Lauren Alexis Fisher, Harper's BAZAAR, "Lady Gaga Channels Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Oscars," 25 Feb. 2019 Since then, the brand has expanded their home line to captivating crystal trays for your vanity or nightstand, photo frames, jewelry stands, decorative geodes, and more. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "Celeb Jeweler Kendra Scott's New Home Line Is Inspired by Crystals," 21 Feb. 2019 This rose-gold-plated, sterling silver band is adorned with raw diamonds crafted by a Washington jewelry maker. — Nia Martin, The Seattle Times, "Valentine’s Day gifts that celebrate your Seattle love," 4 Feb. 2019 The entire collection was based around one item: A Japanese-inspired jewelry organizer styled like a bento box. — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, "Marie Kondo's Massive Net Worth Proves That It Pays to Keep a Tidy House," 16 Jan. 2019 For 40 days every spring, an impersonator would dress up as Xipe Totec in bright colors and jewelry. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Archaeologists Discover Temple to Aztec 'Flayed Lord'," 4 Jan. 2019 Archaeologists have found shell jewelry in graves dating back to 400 BCE. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "The skulls of ancient pearl divers come with abnormal ear canal bone growths," 28 Dec. 2018 Hit up Bey Karaköy for Everlane-style minimalist menswear and cool-girl concept shop Mae Zae for handmade ceramics and funky wood and leather jewelry. — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, "Three Days In Istanbul," 28 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jewelry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.