Translation
jewel, gem; piece of jewellery
Word origin
From French joyau and its Old French ancestor joel, which reached English as jewel. The Latin source behind the Old French word is genuinely disputed.
- Origin
- French
- Root
- joel
- English cognates
- jewel, jewellery
Other proposed origins
- The usual account derives Old French joel from a Vulgar Latin diminutive iocale, on iocus ('a jest, a plaything'), so a jewel is a pretty trifle. (Latin, iocus)
- A rival account derives it from gaudiellum, on gaudium ('joy'), which would make a jewel a small delight instead. (Latin, gaudium)
Examples
.
She wore a beautiful jewel around her neck.
.
The robber took all the jewels out of the cupboard.
.
That little book is a jewel of our literature.
The word covers the worked article as well as the stone in it, so a ring,
a brooch or a necklace is a and the trade is o.
The figurative use travels exactly as it does in English: a small perfect
book, a village, a performance can each be a , and the metaphor
needs no explaining to anybody.
Where this fits
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juvelo: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Esperanto word "juvelo" (jewel, gem; piece of jewellery): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 34.