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Glite Dictionary
lapidist

lapidist

9.9
A person who cuts and polishes precious stones like diamonds
  • noun
  • /ˈlæpɪdɪst/
translation icon : lapidista
  • The lapidist carefully shaped the sapphire into a brilliant oval for the ring.

Examples

  • Many lapidists attend workshops to improve their skills.

  • The museum displayed tools used by an expert lapidist from the nineteenth century.

  • As a professional lapidist, she spent hours perfecting the details on each gemstone.

  • The lapidist crafted a beautiful gemstone pendant.

  • As a professional lapidist, she spent hours perfecting the details on each gemstone.

  • The lapidist carefully shaped the sapphire into a brilliant oval for the ring.

  • The museum displayed tools used by an expert lapidist from the nineteenth century.

Synonyms

lapidary
vslapidist
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A person who cuts, shapes, or polishes precious stones

emphasizes being specially skilled at those stone techniques
lapidarist
vslapidist
  • Specialized
9.9

A person who cuts, shapes, and carves valuable stones like diamonds and rubies

describes someone skilled rather than formally labeled as an expert
gem cutter
vslapidist
5.1

A person who shapes and polishes precious stones for use in jewelry

includes polishing and engraving as well as cutting and shaping

Surface Forms

lapidist singular
lapidists plural

Morphology

lapidist = lapidary (semi-transparent) = lapid + ist

The word is formed by an agentive suffix '-ist' on the Latinate combining form 'lapid-' (seen in 'lapidary'); the morphological relation is clear but both elements are rare and Latinate, making it partially opaque to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

The word lapidist comes from the Latin lapis, meaning 'stone', and the ending -ist, meaning a person who does a job. Think of lapis lazuli, the blue stone: a lapidist is someone who cuts, shapes, and polishes precious stones.