jewelry

Jewelry refers to an adornment (generally precious metal or stone) worn by a person, like a bracelet, ring, necklace, or earrings. Jewelry may be purely decorative, or it may express something — like a ring that says you are married.

Humans have been in the jewelry business for a long time: A shell bracelet, or necklace was found in a cave in South Africa that dates back 75,000 years. Both a diamond ring from Tiffany’s and a handmade beaded bracelet are jewelry, but whether the jewel in jewelry is real or imitation, it is always spelled out. More than one piece of jewelry is still the same word.

Definitions of jewelry

n an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)

Synonyms:: jewellery

Types:: show 36 types...; hide 36 types...; bead
a small ball with a hole through the middle; bijou
a small and delicately worked piece; bling, bling bling
flashy, ostentatious jewelry; bangle, bracelet
jewelry worn around the wrist for decoration; clip
an article of jewelry that can be clipped onto a hat or dress; cufflink
jewelry consisting of one of a pair of linked buttons used to fasten the cuffs of a shirt; earring
jewelry to ornament the ear; usually clipped to the earlobe or fastened through a hole in the lobe; gem, jewel, precious stone
a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry; necklace
jewelry consisting of a cord or chain (often bearing gems) worn about the neck as an ornament (especially by women); pin
a piece of jewelry that is pinned onto the wearer's garment; band, ring
jewelry consisting of a circlet of precious metal (often set with jewels) worn on the finger; tie clip
a piece of jewelry that holds a man's tie in place; ankle bracelet, anklet
an ornament worn around the ankle; annulet
a small ring; armilla
(archeology) a bracelet worn around the wrist or arm; breastpin, broach, brooch
a decorative pin worn by women; bugle
a tubular glass or plastic bead sewn onto clothing for decoration; chain, strand, string
a necklace made by a stringing objects together; chain
a linked or connected series of objects; choker, collar, dog collar, neckband
necklace that fits tightly around a woman's neck; crown jewel
a precious stone that is a valuable part of a sovereign's regalia; engagement ring
a ring given and worn as a sign of betrothal; mourning ring
a ring worn as a memorial to a dead person; drop earring, eardrop, pendant earring
an earring with a pendant ornament; ringlet
a small ring; scatter pin
small pin usually worn in groups of two or more; seal ring, signet ring
a ring bearing a signet; solitaire
a gem (usually a diamond) in a setting by itself; stickpin
a decorative pin that is worn in a necktie; scarfpin, tie tack, tiepin
a pin used to hold the tie in place; wedding band, wedding ring
a ring (usually plain gold) given to the bride (and sometimes one is also given to the groom) at the wedding; diamond
a transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem; ruby
a transparent piece of ruby that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem; pearl
a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel; emerald
a transparent piece of emerald that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem; sapphire
a transparent piece of sapphire that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem

Type of:: adornment
a decoration of color or interest that is added to relieve plainness

n an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)

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jewelry

n an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)

alternate spellings

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