What does birthstone mean?
A birthstone is a gemstone linked by tradition to one of the twelve months of the year and thought to bring good fortune, health, or protection to people born in that month. The custom draws on ancient beliefs that specific stones carried particular powers, and it was formalised into recognisable monthly lists over time; today both traditional and modern versions circulate, with stones such as the garnet for January, the diamond for April, and the opal for October. In contemporary usage the word appears most often in connection with jewellery — rings, pendants, and charms chosen as birthday gifts — and in marketing by gem dealers and jewellers' associations, who helped popularise a single standard list in the twentieth century. Though its protective associations belong to folklore rather than fact, the birthstone remains culturally significant as a personal symbol of identity, making it a familiar and enduring feature of birthday celebrations across much of the English-speaking world.
nounA gemstone traditionally associated with a particular month of the year and believed, especially in folk tradition, to bring good luck or protection to people born in that month.
- A gemstone assigned to a particular month of the year, worn as jewellery and believed to bring luck or protection to those born in that month.
"Her birthstone is the sapphire, since she was born in September."
"The garnet has been January's traditional birthstone for generations."
"He gave her a delicate opal pendant as an October birthday gift, knowing it was her birthstone."
Regular plural, used when discussing the stones of multiple months collectively.
"The jeweller's display featured all twelve traditional birthstones."
Wear the wrong stone for your birth month and tradition warns you invite bad luck — a superstition jewelers have happily kept alive for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does birthstone come from?
Birthstone is a compound of the English nouns birth and stone, formed within English itself rather than borrowed from another language. Both elements are of ancient pedigree: birth derives from Old Norse burðr via Middle English, while stone comes from Old English stān, a common Germanic word with cognates in Dutch steen and German Stein. The compound emerged to describe the longstanding association between gems and calendar months, with comparable formations appearing in other European languages.
Related word forms
How birthstone is actually used
A neutral, everyday noun used mainly in contexts of jewellery, gifting, and folklore. The standard modern lists (traditional and 'official' modern lists promoted by jewellers' associations) differ somewhat in which stones are assigned to each month, so references may specify 'traditional' or 'modern' birthstones. Plural: birthstones.
Easily confused with birthstone
A birthstone corresponds to a calendar birth month, whereas a zodiac stone is associated with an astrological sign rather than a month.