# jewel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈd͡ʒuːəl/ · frequency rank #11,562

## Definitions
1. A precious or semi-precious stone; gem, gemstone.
2. A valuable object used for personal ornamentation, especially one made of precious metals and stones; a piece of jewellery.
3. Anything precious or valuable.
4. A bearing for a pivot in a watch, formed of a crystal or precious stone.
5. Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the genus Hypochrysops.
6. The clitoris.
7. A jewel box (optical disc container).

## Etymology
From Middle English juel, jewel, juwel, jeuel, jowel, from Anglo-Norman juel, from Old French jouel, joel, joïel, hence French joyau, of uncertain origin. Perhaps based ultimately on Latin gaudium (“joy”), or on Latin iocus (“joke; jest”), or according to Pihan, from Arabic جَوْهَر (jawhar). Compare Medieval Latin jocale.

## Easily confused with
- **Jews** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jewel-vs-jews)
- **Joel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jewel-vs-joel)
- **Jewry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jewel-vs-jewry)
- **jewels** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jewel-vs-jewels)
- **Jewell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jewel-vs-jewell)
- **jewelry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jewel-vs-jewelry)
- **jeweler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jewel-vs-jeweler)
- **Jew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jew-vs-jewel)
- **Jeep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jeep-vs-jewel)
- **jell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jell-vs-jewel)
- **Jeter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jeter-vs-jewel)
- **dual** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dual-vs-jewel)
- **duel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/duel-vs-jewel)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ejwel`, `jeewl`, `jewle`, `jewwel`, `jjewel`, `jweel`

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