Etymology Dictionary

JEWEL,  a precious stone, valuable ornament.  (F.,—L.)   M.E. iowel, Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 112, l. 6; iuel, id. p. 77, l. 1.—O.F. joiel, joel, jouel (Burguy); later joyau, 'a jewell;' Cot.   A dimin. (with suffix -el) of O.F. and F. joie, joy, pleasure; so that the sense is 'a little joy,' i.e. a toy, trinket.   Cf. Span. joyel, a jewel, trinket, dimin. of joya, a jewel, present (answering in form to F. joie, though not used in same sense).   Also Ital. giojello, a jewel, dimin. of gioja, (1) joy, (2) a jewel.   See further under Joy.   ¶ The use of Span. joya and Ital. gioja in the sense of 'jewel' leaves no doubt as to the etymology; but the word was misunderstood in the middle ages, so that 'jewel' was translated into Low Latin in the form jocale, preserving the sense of 'toy,' but missing the etymology, which was thought to be from Lat. iocus instead of from gaudium, the sense of the two words being not very different.   Der. jewell-er, with which cf. O.F. joyallier, 'a jeweller,' Cot.; jewell-er-y or jewel-ry, with which cf. O.F. joyaulerie, 'jewelling, the trade or mystery of jewelling,' Cot.