précieuse

[prey-see-ooz, prey-syœz]

noun

plural

précieuses 

1. one of the 17th-century literary women of France who affected an extreme care in the use of language.

2. an affected or pretentious woman, especially one marked by preciosity in manner or speech.

adjective

1. (of a woman) marked by affectation or preciosity.

Word History and Origins

Origin of précieuse¹

1720–30; < French; feminine of précieux ( def. ); -euse