Gem vs. Ore — What's the Difference?

A piece of a valuable mineral or minerallike substance that has been cut, polished, or otherwise prepared for use as an ornament.

Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit. Ore is extracted from the earth through mining and treated or refined, often via smelting, to extract the valuable metals or minerals.

Something that is valued for its beauty or perfection

A mineral or an aggregate of minerals from which a valuable constituent, especially a metal, can be profitably mined or extracted.

A beloved or highly prized person.

A Swedish unit of currency equal to 1/100 of the krona.

A muffin, especially a very small one.

Rock or other material that contains valuable or utilitarian materials; primarily a rock containing metals or gems for which it is typically mined and processed.

To adorn with gems.

Honor; grace; favor; mercy; clemency; happy augury.

A precious stone, usually of substantial monetary value or prized for its beauty or shine.

The native form of a metal, whether free and uncombined, as gold, copper, etc., or combined, as iron, lead, etc. Usually the ores contain the metals combined with oxygen, sulphur, arsenic, etc. (called mineralizers).

(figuratively) Any precious or highly valued thing or person.

A native metal or its compound with the rock in which it occurs, after it has been picked over to throw out what is worthless.

Anything of small size, or expressed within brief limits, which is regarded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, such as a small picture, a verse of poetry, or an epigram.

Metal; as, the liquid ore.

(obsolete) A gemma or leaf-bud.

A metal-bearing mineral valuable enough to be mined

A type of geometrid moth, Orthonama obstipata.

A monetary subunit in Denmark and Norway and Sweden; 100 ore equal 1 krona

(computing) A package containing programs or libraries for the Ruby programming language.

A size of type between brilliant (4-point) and diamond (4½-point), running 222 lines to the foot.

(transitive) To adorn with, or as if with, gems.

A bud.

A precious stone of any kind, as the ruby, emerald, topaz, sapphire, beryl, spinel, etc., especially when cut and polished for ornament; a jewel.

Anything of small size, or expressed within brief limits, which is regarded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, as a small picture, a verse of poetry, a witty or wise saying.

To put forth in the form of buds.

To adorn with gems or precious stones.

To embellish or adorn, as with gems; as, a foliage gemmed with dewdrops.

A crystalline rock that can be cut and polished for jewelry;

Art highly prized for its beauty or perfection

A person who is a brilliant and precious as a piece of jewelry

A sweet quick bread baked in a cup-shaped pan

A precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry