crown jewel

a. A precious stone that is part of a sovereign's regalia.

b. crown jewels The jewels, such as those in a crown or scepter, used ceremonially by a sovereign.

2. The most prized asset or possession in a group.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

crown jewels

pl n

1. (Jewellery) the jewellery, including the regalia, used by a sovereign on a state occasion

2. the most valued possession or asset

3. slang the genitals of a man or boy

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

crown jewels - regalia (jewelry and other paraphernalia) worn by a sovereign on state occasions

diadem, crown - an ornamental jeweled headdress signifying sovereignty

regalia - paraphernalia indicative of royalty (or other high office)

plural, plural form - the form of a word that is used to denote more than one

Translations

crown jewels

npl → gioielli mpl della Corona

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

You would surely have thought that I had been detected in no less a heinous crime than the purloining of the Crown Jewels from the Tower, or putting poison in the coffee of His Majesty the King.

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The loss of the crown jewels or the Great Seal of England could have brought no greater consternation to a British king than did the pilfering of the sacred knife bring to La, the Oparian, Queen and High Priestess of the degraded remnants of the oldest civilization upon earth.

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Wherefore, I am minded to put the Great Carbuncle on shipboard, and voyage with it to England, France, Spain, Italy, or into Heathendom, if Providence should send me thither, and, in a word, dispose of the gem to the best bidder among the potentates of the earth, that he may place it among his crown jewels. If any of ye have a wiser plan, let him expound it."

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oh!" cried Charles II.; "what, a sword that has restored me to my throne -- to go out of the kingdom -- and not, one day, to figure among the crown jewels. No, on my soul!

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I have compared the silver coin to the Koh-i-noor, and in one sense it was even conventionally comparable, since by a historical accident it was at one time almost counted among the Crown jewels, or at least the Crown relics, until one of the royal princes publicly restored it to the shrine to which it was supposed to belong.

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Medea staid only long enough to take her son with her, and to steal the crown jewels, together with the king's best robes, and whatever other valuable things she could lay hands on; and getting into the chariot, she whipped up the snakes, and ascended high over the city.

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The school and local primaries in the area will learn facts, figures and historical information on the Crown Jewels.

PUPILS TAKE A PEEP AT MONARCHY'S CROWNING GLORY

Cohen has acquired one of midtown Manhattan's crown jewels -- the 36-story, 370,000-SF office building located above the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship department store on East 50th Street.

Charles Cohen buys 370,000-SF trophy building in Midtown

The haul, regarded as the crown jewels of English soccer, will be sold by cash-strapped Tina, 56, to the highest bidder in a "closed auction" by Christie's of London next month.

FOR SALE; Bobby's wife wants pounds 2m for medals

Test matches, which are currently on the "crown jewels" list of sporting events which must remain on terrestrial TV, could be partially removed from that list.

TV Test cricket may be caught in a satellite googly

FREDDIE FLINTOFF will go down as the beefeater who rescued one of sport's crown jewels if Ashes Tests are restored to terrestrial TV.

ASHES VICTORY FOR VIEWERS WILL PLUNGE CRICKET INTO POVERTY; CRICKET TV ROW SPARKED AT HOME AS ENGLAND START TOUR WITH T20 WIN