Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gems” come from?

gems (English) comes from English gem, from Middle English gemme, from Old English ġimm, from Proto-West Germanic gimmu, from Latin gemma — A bud or eye of a plant; A gem, gemstone, jewel,...

gems (English): plural of gem; Third-person singular simple...

Definitions

  1. plural of gem; Third-person singular simple...

Ancestry of “gems”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgemA precious stone, usually of substantial monetary...
2Middle Englishgemme—
3Old Englishġimmgem
4Proto-West Germanicgimmugem
5LatingemmaA bud or eye of a plant; A gem, gemstone, jewel,...
Every word from Latin gemma →