jewelry

Forms

• jewellery (UK)

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English juelrie, jowelrie, borrowed from Old French juelerye,^[2][3] from juel, jowel, jewel, and -rie, -ry.^[3][4] Etymonline suggests that in modern use it is probably a new formation, jewel plus -ery or jeweller plus -y.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Precious ornaments, jewel work: the late 14th century in Etymonline, the 14th century in MW and MWU.^[2][3][5]

Semantic evolution

Fowler wrote that the longer form is the commercial and popular one, and the shorter the rhetorical and poetic.^[2] Merriam-Webster includes ornaments of materials that may not be precious, such as glass or plastic, set with real or imitation gems.^[3]

Timeline

• late 14th century – juelrye.^[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. Ornaments such as bracelets, necklaces and rings, made of precious metal often set with gems or imitation gems.

Related words

• jewel
• jeweller
• jewellery
• joy

Usage notes

Jewelry is the American spelling and jewellery the British one.^[1][6] It is an uncountable noun.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2009), 5th ed., Harlow: Pearson Longman
2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ Gove, Philip Babcock, ed. (1961), Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam
5. ^ Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ The Chambers Dictionary (2008), 11th ed., Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap