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Glite Dictionary
semi-precious stone

semi-precious stone

1 3.6
A stone like amethyst or turquoise used in jewelry that costs less than diamonds
  • noun
  • /ˌsɛmiˈprɛʃəs stoʊn/
translation icon : piedra semipreciosa
  • At the flea market, you can find many crafts made with semi-precious stones that are affordable and unique.

Examples

  • So and the other examples like the semi precious stones called tiger eye or various other things, they're basically very fancy forms of asbestos.

  • The surface is covered with lots of little cavities for in laying with semi precious stone, glass or coloured paste characteristic of the Acumenid.

  • She created a stunning necklace using a variety of semi-precious stones like amethyst and turquoise.

  • The museum showcased a beautiful collection of semi-precious stones, including quartz and jade.

Synonyms

jewel
vssemi-precious stone
157 1.8

A precious or less valuable stone cut and polished for use in jewelry

refers only to items that are lower in rarity and value than prized ones
stone
vssemi-precious stone
75 4.5

A hard, shiny gem cut and polished for jewelry

means only those cut minerals that are lower in rarity and market value
gem
vssemi-precious stone
47 1.3

A small valuable stone cut and polished for use in jewelry or decoration

is limited to those of lower rarity and value rather than higher ones
gemstone
vssemi-precious stone
15 3.3

A hard, shiny stone cut and polished for use in jewelry

means only cut minerals that are lower in rarity and value

Antonyms

precious stone
6 3.4

A rare valuable gem like a diamond used in jewelry

How Precious

semi-precious stone
1 3.6

Surface Forms

semi-precious stone singular
semi-precious stones plural

Morphology

semi-precious + stone

The meaning is directly compositional: 'semi-' (partly/half) + 'precious' (valuable) applied to 'stone' yields a gemstone that is somewhat valuable but less so than fully 'precious' stones. This construction and the prefix 'semi-' are cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent parts will readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The phrase semi-precious stone uses semi meaning 'half' and precious meaning 'valuable' to paint the picture of a gem that is attractive but not as rare or expensive as top jewels. So, think of amethyst or turquoise worn in jewelry, and you can see why the phrase means 'a gemstone less rare or valuable than precious stones'.