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hidden gem

hidden gem

4 4.8
A very good person, place, or thing that few people know about
  • noun
  • /ˈhɪdən dʒɛm/
  • Informal
translation icon : joya oculta
  • Definitely a hidden gem of San Jose, but once you find it, nothing compares!
  • find a hidden gem
  • one of the hidden gems
  • remain a hidden gem

Did I just find like the hidden gem of hidden gems?

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Examples

  • Yes, Detroit has many hidden gems and is a city well worth visiting.

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  • If you were into photography books, this is the hidden gem of Fort Worth.

  • This is the hidden gem I bet no one else has found.

  • Wow, that is a hidden gem of New York City.

  • Every city has its hidden gems, so go out and find them!

    Blog text (7)
  • The back courtyard is one of those hidden gems of New York.

    Blog text (34)
  • But we were lucky enough to find some wonderful hidden gems down a few alleyways.

    Blog text (17)
  • The lunch set at Sushi Saito is one of Tokyo's hidden gems.

    Blog text (27)
  • The little café on the corner is a hidden gem that few locals know about.

  • Many tourists overlook the small park, which is a hidden gem in the city.

Synonyms

gem
vshidden gem
  • Informal
71 3.0

A person or thing that is very good and admired

is not widely known or recognized despite quality
best-kept secret
vshidden gem
8 4.5

A place or thing only a few people know about that is especially good

is less exclusive and simply not widely known or recognized
hidden gold mine
vshidden gem
  • Informal
6.0

A place or thing that has valuable information not easy to find

focuses on a single outstanding person place or thing rather than a source

Antonyms

2 1.5

A place that many people like to visit

How Popular

mecca
5 5.3
popular spot
2 1.5
hangout
  • Informal
45 3.6
hidden gem
  • Informal
4 4.8

Surface Forms

hidden gem singular
hidden gems plural

Morphology

hidden + gem

The phrase 'hidden gem' is transparently composed: 'hidden' (not easily visible) modifies 'gem' (a valuable or outstanding thing), yielding the straightforward meaning of a valuable thing that is not widely known or seen. This adjectival modification pattern is common cross-linguistically and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Hidden gem creates the image of a bright jewel (gem) tucked away where people cannot see it (hidden). One popular story says this picture became a way to say 'a valuable thing that few people know about'.