semi-precious
|sem/i-pre/cious|
/ˌsɛmiˈprɛʃəs/
less valuable gemstone
Etymology
'semi-precious' originates from the Latin prefix 'semi-' meaning 'half' or 'partially', combined with 'precious', which comes from the Latin 'pretiosus', meaning 'of great value'.
The term 'semi-precious' evolved from the combination of 'semi-' and 'precious', used to describe stones of lesser value than the traditional precious stones.
Initially, it meant 'partially valuable', and over time it evolved to specifically refer to certain gemstones.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
describing a gemstone that is not as valuable as a precious stone, such as a diamond, ruby, sapphire, or emerald.
Amethyst is considered a semi-precious stone.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45