gem

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.

noun

1. A precious stone, usually of substantial monetary value or prized for its beauty or shine.
   Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade. 2012-03, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 2012-06-14, page 128
2. (figurative) Any precious or highly valued thing or person.
   She's an absolute gem.
   Standout “Hidden Knives” is the kind of new wave-leaning punk gem John Hughes would’ve loved, while “So Beneath You” is a teeth-baring, roiling tune. January 20, 2017, Annie Zaleski, “AFI sounds refreshed and rejuvenated on its 10th album, AFI (The Blood Album)”, in The Onion AV Club
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.
   a gem of wit
4. (obsolete) A gemma or leaf-bud.
   c. 1668, John Denham (translator), Of Old Age by Cato the Elder, Part 3, in Poems and Translations, with The Sophy, London: H. Herringman, 4th edition, 1773, p. 35, Then from the Joynts of thy prolifick Stemm A swelling Knot is raised (call’d a Gemm)
   1803, John Browne Cutting, “A Succinct History of Jamaica” in Robert Charles Dallas, The History of the Maroons, London: Longman and Rees, Volume 1, p. xcii, In about twelve days the sprouts from the gems of the planted cane are seen […]
5. A geometrid moth of species Orthonama obstipata.
6. (computing) A package containing programs or libraries for the Ruby programming language.
7. (uncountable, printing, uncommon, obsolete) A size of type between brilliant (4-point) and diamond (4½-point), running 222 lines to the foot.

verb

1. (transitive) To adorn with, or as if with, gems.
   A few bright and beautiful stars gemmed the wide concave of heaven[…]. 1827, Various, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 10,
   Above was the firmament, gemmed with worlds, and sublime in immensity. 1872, J. Fenimore Cooper, The Bravo
   The rain Shook from fruit bushes in new showers again As I brushed past, and gemmed the window pane. 1920, John Freeman, Poems New and Old
   And those salt tears your lashes gemmed / Were but the breath of flame distilled; / Flame white and pure, and diademmed / With suffering,—pain with joy fulfilled. 1922 February, Miriam Campbell, “A Dream of Brittany”, in The Educational Times: A Review of Ideas and Methods, volume IV (new series)/LXXIV (old series), page 64, column 1