How to pronounce gem
Say it like JEM. Gem is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce gem. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JEM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gem pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JEMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of gem
American and British speakers say gem in essentially the same way: /dʒɛm/ in the US and /dʒɛm/ in the UK.
British respelling: JEM.
What does gem mean?
- art highly prized for its beauty or perfection
- a crystalline rock that can be cut and polished for jewelry“he had the gem set in a ring for his wife”“she had jewels made of all the rarest stones”
- a person who is as brilliant and precious as a piece of jewelry
Where does gem come from?
Inherited from Middle English gemme, gimme, yimme, ȝimme, from Old English ġimm, from Proto-West Germanic *gimmu (“gem”) and Old French gemme (“gem”), both from Latin gemma (“a swelling bud; jewel, gem”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with gem
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gem.
Questions about saying gem
How do you pronounce gem?
Say JEM. The American pronunciation is /dʒɛm/. In British English it is /dʒɛm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gem?
Gem is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: JEM.
Do Americans and Brits say gem the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dʒɛm/ and the British form is /dʒɛm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.