adj · noun · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈlæpɪdəɹi/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈlæpɪdɹi/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈlæpəˌdɛɹi/
CMU ARPABET:L AE1 P AH0 D EH2 R IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Of or pertaining to gems and precious stones, or the art of cutting or otherwise working them.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Of or pertaining to monumental stones, and particularly to the art of inscribing them.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
engraved on stone.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Senses relating to speech or writing.
Pertaining to a way of speaking which is circumlocutional, is excessively precise, and is multifaceted in the construction of propositions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Senses relating to speech or writing.
Of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments; concise and stately.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: brief, concise, crisp, laconic, lapidary, short-winded, succinct, tight, to the point, taut, terse
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, not-comparable, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adj
Meaning 7
Succinct, laconic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, uncommon
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: gemsmith, lapidarist, lapidist
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
The field in which such a person works, a subfield of gemology.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
An expert in gems and precious stones; a connoisseur of lapidary work.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: gemmologist, gemologist, lapidist
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
Gems and precious stones collectively; jewellery.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
A treatise on (precious) stones.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
Qualifier: except historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
adjective
Meaning 13
of or relating to precious stones or the art of working with them- Lord Byron
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the ring is of no lapidary value
lapidary art
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
noun
Meaning 14
a skilled worker who cuts and engraves precious stones
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lapidist
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: engraver
15
noun
Meaning 15
an expert on precious stones and the art of cutting and engraving them
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lapidarist
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: expert
History
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English lapidari, lapidarie (“person who cuts, polishes, or engraves precious stones; expert in precious stones; treatise on precious stones”) [and other forms], from Old French lapidaire (“gemsmith, lapidary”) (modern French lapidaire), or from its etymon Latin lapidārius (“(adjective) of stones, stony; (noun) stonecutter”), from lapidis (the genitive singular of lapis (“stone; (poetic) jewel, precious stone”), possibly from Pre-Greek or Proto-Indo-European *lep- (“to peel”)) + -ārius (suffix forming adjectives). Noun senses 3.2 (“jewellery”) and 3.3 (“treatise on precious stones”) are derived from Latin lapidāria or lapidārium, a noun use of the neuter plural or genitive plural respectively of lapidāris (“of stone”, adjective), from lapidis (the genitive singular of lapis; see above) + -āris (suffix forming adjectives). The stone-referent adjective is either: * a learned borrowing from Latin lapidārius (adjective); or * derived from the noun. Adjective sense 6 (“succint”) is by metaphor: the speaker or writer has cut and polished their locution, as it were.
Across languages
Translations
55 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
lapidaarinen
— of or pertaining to gems and precious stones, or the art of working them
Georgian:
ლაპიდარული
(laṗidaruli)
— of or pertaining to gems and precious stones, or the art of working them
Irish:
greanta
— of or pertaining to gems and precious stones, or the art of working them
Spanish:
lapidario
— of or pertaining to gems and precious stones, or the art of working them
Finnish:
kiveen hakattu
— of an inscription: engraved on stone
French:
lapidaire
— of an inscription: engraved on stone
Czech:
lapidární
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Finnish:
ytimekäs ja hienostunut
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
French:
lapidaire
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
German:
lapidar
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Polish:
lapidarny
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Polish:
zwięzły
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Serbo-Croatian:
ла̏пида̄ран
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Serbo-Croatian:
језгро̀вит
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Serbo-Croatian:
кра̀так
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Serbo-Croatian:
са̏же̄т
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Serbo-Croatian:
lȁpidāran
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Serbo-Croatian:
jezgròvit
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Serbo-Croatian:
kràtak
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Serbo-Croatian:
sȁžēt
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Spanish:
lapidario
— of a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and refinement of inscriptions on monuments
Finnish:
kivi-
— of or pertaining to stones in general
French:
lapidaire
— of or pertaining to stones in general
Bengali:
জহুরি
(johuri)
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Finnish:
jalokivihioja
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Finnish:
jalokiviseppä
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
French:
lapidaire
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
German:
Edelsteinschleifer
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
German:
Edelsteinschleiferin
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Italian:
intagliatore
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Italian:
intagliatrice
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Macedonian:
јувелир
(juvelir)
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Portuguese:
lapidário
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Portuguese:
lapidária
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Romanian:
lapidariu
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Telugu:
మణికారుడు
(maṇikāruḍu)
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Turkish:
cevahirci
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Ottoman Turkish:
جواهرجی
(cevâhirci)
— person who cuts and polishes, engraves, or deals in gems and precious stones
Burmese:
ပန်းရွဲ
(pan:rwai:)
— field in which such a person works
Catalan:
lapidari
— field in which such a person works
Finnish:
jalokivien hionta
— field in which such a person works
French:
lapidaire
— field in which such a person works
Japanese:
宝石彫刻師
(hōsekichōkokushi)
— field in which such a person works
Spanish:
lapidario
— field in which such a person works
Catalan:
lapidari
— treatise on (precious) stones
Esperanto:
lapidario
— treatise on (precious) stones
Finnish:
tutkielma jalokivistä
— treatise on (precious) stones
French:
lapidaire
— treatise on (precious) stones
Italian:
lapidari
— treatise on (precious) stones
Latin:
lapidārium
— treatise on (precious) stones
Polish:
lapidarium
— treatise on (precious) stones
Russian:
лапидарий
(lapidarij)
— treatise on (precious) stones
Spanish:
lapidario
— treatise on (precious) stones
Ukrainian:
лапіда́рний
(lapidárnyj)
— treatise on (precious) stones
Ukrainian:
лапіда́рність
(lapidárnistʹ)
— treatise on (precious) stones