Etymology

gem

G2E1M3

Today it means: A precious stone, usually of substantial monetary value or prized for its beauty or shine. Full definition →

Middle English gemme ← Old English ġimm ← Proto-West Germanic *gimmu
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gem · noun, verb1

  1. Latin · derived fromgemma“a swelling bud; jewel, gem”
  2. Old French · derived fromgemme“gem”
  3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*gimmu“gem”
  4. Old English · inherited fromġimm
  5. Middle English · inherited fromgemme
  6. English todaygem

Inherited from Middle English gemme, gimme, yimme, ȝimme, from Old English ġimm, from Proto-West Germanic *gimmu (“gem”) and Old French gemme (“gem”), both from Latin gemma (“a swelling bud; jewel, gem”). Doublet of gemma and Gemma.

Gem · noun2

From Gem State.

Words from the same roots

Latingemma all →

gemmagemmaceousgemmiferousgemmificationgemmologygemmotherapy

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.