# gem

> English word · Noun · IPA /d͡ʒɛm/ · frequency rank #8,670

## Definitions
1. A precious stone, usually of substantial monetary value or prized for its beauty or shine.
2. Any precious or highly valued thing or person.
3. Anything of small size, or expressed within brief limits, which is regarded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, such as a small picture, a verse of poetry, or an epigram.
4. A gemma or leaf bud.
5. A geometrid moth of the species Orthonama obstipata.
6. A package containing programs or libraries for the Ruby programming language.
7. A size of type between brilliant (4-point) and diamond (4½-point), running 222 lines to the foot.
8. A strong, dominating pitching performance.
9. Internet content of good quality.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **go** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-go)
- **GM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gm)
- **GF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gf)
- **GP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gp)
- **gi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gi)
- **GS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gs)
- **GR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gr)
- **gg** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gg)
- **GL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gl)
- **GU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gu)
- **GH** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gh)
- **get** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-get)
- **got** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-got)
- **god** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-god)
- **guy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-guy)
- **gun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gun)
- **gym** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gym)
- **GOP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gop)
- **GPS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gps)
- **gut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gem-vs-gut)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/gem