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

It was created for Princess Vilhelmine Marie of Denmark in the 1820s with semiprecious stones collected around Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Italy. —Renan Botelho, WWD, 5 Mar. 2025

They are then crafted by artisans in Jaipur, using brass-plated with 3 microns of 18-karat gold and set with semiprecious stones. —Devorah Lauter, WWD, 31 Jan. 2025

The royal workshops crafted wondrous gifts for foreign rulers, such as bronze fountain spouts in the shape of animals, silver perfume bottles, and ornate jewelry of gold, pearls, and semiprecious stones. —Chadd Scott, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

Her handcrafted chunky creations use semiprecious stones, shells and wood with silver or 18-karat gold hardware. —Alex Wynne, WWD, 4 Oct. 2024

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