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Gem vs Germ - What's the difference?

gem | germ |

As nouns the difference between gem and germ

is that gem is a precious stone, usually of substantial monetary value or prized for its beauty or shine while germ is the small mass of cells from which a new organism develops; a seed, bud or spore.

As verbs the difference between gem and germ

is that gem is to adorn with, or as if with, gems while germ is to germinate.

As a proper noun Gem

is a native or resident of the American state of Idaho.

gem

English

(gemstone)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A precious stone, usually of substantial monetary value or prized for its beauty or shine.
    • (Milton)
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-03
    • , author=Lee A. Groat , title=Gemstones , volume=100, issue=2, page=128 , magazine= citation , passage=Although there are dozens of different types of gems , among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.}}
  • (figuratively) any precious or highly valued thing or person
    • She's an absolute gem .
  • Anything of small size, or expressed within brief limits, which is regarded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, such as a small picture, a verse of poetry, or an epigram.
    • a gem of wit
  • (obsolete) a gemma or leaf-bud
  • * Denham
    • From the joints of thy prolific stem / A swelling knot is raised called a gem .
  • a type of geometrid moth, Orthonama obstipata
  • (computing) A package containing programs or libraries for the Ruby programming language.

    • Synonyms

    * (precious stone) gemstone, jewel, precious stone; see also

    Verb

  • To adorn with, or as if with, gems.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1827, author=Various, title=The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 10,, chapter=, edition= citation
    • , passage=A few bright and beautiful stars gemmed the wide concave of heaven
  • * {{quote-book, year=1872, author=J. Fenimore Cooper, title=The Bravo, chapter=, edition= citation
    • , passage=Above was the firmament, gemmed with worlds, and sublime in immensity. }}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1920, author=John Freeman, title=Poems New and Old, chapter=, edition= citation
    • , passage=The rain Shook from fruit bushes in new showers again As I brushed past, and gemmed the window pane. }}

    See also

    *

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    germ

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (biology) The small mass of cells from which a new organism develops; a seed, bud or spore.
  • A pathogenic microorganism.
  • The origin of an idea or project.
    • the germ of civil liberty
  • The embryo of a seed, especially of a seed used as a cereal or grain. See .

    • Derived terms

    * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To germinate.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
    • O for a withering curse to blast the germing of their wicked machinations.
  • * Thomas Hardy
    • Thus tempted, the lust to avenge me / Germed inly and grew.
  • (slang) To grow, as if parasitic.
  • * "I’m addicted, want to germ inside your love" - Just Can't Get Enough by the Black Eyed Peas

    • See also

    * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l)

    External links

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