jewelry

noun

jew·​el·​ry ˈjü-əl-rē How to pronounce jewelry (audio)
ˈjül-rē,
ˈju̇l-;
 nonstandard  ˈjü-lə-rē
variants US jewelry or chiefly British jewellery
: 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?

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 Louis Vuitton gown in pale blue, writer-director-producer Ava DuVernay also went tonal with her jewelry, wearing earrings and a pair of rings by Reza. Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Rapper Ice Spice proved that jewelry isn’t needed when your rhinestone piercing pops through your lace Dolce & Gabbana look. Irene Kim, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 The low-cut gown, from Lever Couture, featured a dramatic, ruffled sheer train that matched the carpet itself, as Sánchez paired it with some nude heels and plenty of diamond jewelry on both her neck and ears. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 At least seven celebrities had hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry taken. Michelle Miller, CBS News, 9 Mar. 2024 Not only the dresses but the jewelry was also a sight to behold, with the groom's family decked up in emeralds, diamonds and gold. USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 Archaeologists recently unearthed the ancient piece of jewelry while excavating the city of Kalmar, according to a Feb. 29 news release from Arkeologerna. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 It can then either be sold to jewelers and designers, or turned into a jewelry piece designed in-house. Ana De Oliva, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 Much like their Ancient Egyptian counterparts, Emirati women even had their kohl buried with them, along with their jewelry and pottery. Zahra Hankir, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jewelry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see jewel entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jewelry was circa 1624

Dictionary Entries Near jewelry

Cite this Entry

“Jewelry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jewelry. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

jewelry

noun
jew·​el·​ry ˈjü-əl-rē How to pronounce jewelry (audio)
ˈjül-rē
: ornamental pieces (as rings and necklaces) worn on the person : jewels
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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