gem XIII. — (O)F. gemme :- L. gemma bud, jewel; superseded the OE. adoption of the L. word, viz. ġim(m) , ME ʒimme . So gemma (bot.) leaf-bud. XVIII. — L. gemmation (bot.) budding. XVIII. — F. ...
January 1, 1996; The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology