bejeweled
Meaning
decorated with jewels or other bright, shiny ornaments.
Structure
Usage
the queen wore a bejeweled crown for the coronation ceremony.
the handle of the ancient dagger was bejeweled with rubies and emeralds.
she appeared at the gala in a stunning, bejeweled gown that caught the light with every movement.
Etymology
the word 'bejeweled' is a relatively modern english formation, built upon the older noun 'jewel'. the prefix 'be-', of germanic origin, is a versatile element in english that can intensify or transform a word, here meaning "to adorn with". the core noun 'jewel' itself has a romantic history, entering english from anglo-french and ultimately tracing back to the latin 'jocus', meaning "game" or "plaything", which evolved in vulgar latin to mean "ornament". the suffix '-ed' converts the verb phrase into a participial adjective, describing a state of being adorned. thus, the literal construction "to be covered with playthings/ornaments" evolved into the modern sense of being lavishly decorated with jewels.
Analysis
be: a productive verb-forming prefix from old english, meaning "to make, to cover with, to affect thoroughly". jewel: from anglo-french "juel", old french "jouel", meaning a precious stone or ornament. ed: a suffix from old english, used to form adjectives from nouns or verbs, meaning "having the characteristics of".