semiprecious

adjective

semi·​pre·​cious ˌse-mē-ˈpre-shəs 

ˌse-ˌmī-, 

-mi-

of a gemstone

: of less commercial value than a precious stone

Examples of semiprecious in a Sentence

semiprecious stones such as aquamarines and garnets

Recent Examples on the Web

The museum made unwanted headlines in 2023 when it was brought to light that some 1,500 objects— including gold jewelry, semiprecious stones, and glass pieces dating as far back as the fifteenth century BCE—had vanished from its collection over a span of years. —News Desk, Artforum, 6 Jan. 2026

Why shouldn’t there be semiprecious mountains hidden in remote and inaccessible tribal lands? —Nell Zink, New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2025

The Signature line of daily designs in sterling silver, 18-karat gold vermeil and semiprecious stones sits at the core of the catalogue, with price tags ranging from 90 euros to 450 euros. —Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2025

It was generally made of a precious or semiprecious stone such as lapis lazuli, agate or chalcedony. —Serdar Yalçin, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for semiprecious

• precious

Kids Definition

semiprecious

adjective

semi·​pre·​cious ˌsem-i-ˈpresh-əs 

ˌsem-ˌī-

: of less value than a precious stone