2274: gem Mar 8, 2021

In the past many thought that crystals really grew from being alive, and considering the etymology of 'gem', this might not have really seemed such a crazy idea. 'Gem', in its original sense meant 'bud', from the Latin 'gemma', which comes from a root *gen- meaning 'produce'. The root itself is somewhat mysterious, and so cognates are not exactly clear with it, but the root may also have had to do with the growth of other things including nails, with the current sense of 'gem' coming later in relation to the shape of seeds and buds, or their other qualities.