From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgemgem /dʒem/ ●○○ noun [countable] 1 DCJ (also gem stone) a beautiful stone that has been cut into a special shape SYN jewel precious gems2 BEAUTIFUL/GOOD-LOOKINGsomething that is very special or beautiful Every single ad in the campaign has been a gem. The Fortune is a tiny gem of a theatre.gem of little gems of advice3 HELPa very helpful or special person Ben, you’re a real gem!
Examples from the Corpus
gem• But the diamond dealer sold them dud gems and paid dearly for it.• This nondescript little gem across from Arizona Stadium has been languishing in relative obscurity for the last two years.• Finally, let me end a long, but hopefully not tedious, list of routes with a real gem from Skye.• Dubrovnik was a Renaissance gem not only of Croatia but of all Europe.• Chilperic also showed Gregory a gold salver covered with gems, weighing fifty pounds.a ... gem of a• Hidden behind a plain exterior is a gem of a hotel, with clean and cosy accommodation.• The Fortune is a tiny gem of a theatre where the boxes sit very close to the stage.• This is a gem of a book for any young aspiring artist.Origin gem (1200-1300) French gemme, from Latin gemma “bud, jewel” 