Precious or semi-precious stones that have been cut and polished for use in jewelry or decoration.
Compound word: 'gem' (from Latin gemma) + 'stones' (from Old English stan). The compound emerged as a standard English term in the 19th century when gemology became a formal science requiring precise terminology.
Gemstones can tell you Earth's deepest secrets—diamonds form 100 miles underground under incredible pressure, rubies are colored by trace amounts of chromium atoms, and emeralds contain water molecules that can actually freeze if the stone gets cold enough.
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