gem and jem are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. gem means “art highly prized for its beauty or perfection”. jem means “a terrorist organization founded in 2000; a militant Islamic group active in Kashmir and closely aligned with al-Rashid Trust; seeks to secure release of imprisoned fellow militants by kidnappings”.
/ˈdʒɛm/
1.n.art highly prized for its beauty or perfection
2.n.a crystalline rock that can be cut and polished for jewelry
“he had the gem set in a ring for his wife”
3.n.a person who is as brilliant and precious as a piece of jewelry
/ˈdʒɛm/
| gem | jem | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɛm/ | /ˈdʒɛm/ |
| Said | jem | jem |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 3 | 3 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 5 | 1 |
| How common | Familiar | Familiar |
| Synonyms | treasure | Jaish-i-Mohammed, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Army of Muhammad |
1.n.a terrorist organization founded in 2000; a militant Islamic group active in Kashmir and closely aligned with al-Rashid Trust; seeks to secure release of imprisoned fellow militants by kidnappings