precious

American  

[presh-uhs] / ˈprɛʃ əs /

adjective

1. of high price or great value; very valuable or costly.

   precious metals.

2. highly esteemed for some spiritual, nonmaterial, or moral quality.

   precious memories.

3. dear; beloved.

   a precious child.

   Synonyms:

   darling

4. affectedly or excessively delicate, refined, or nice.

   precious manners.

5. flagrant; gross.

   a precious fool.

---

noun

1. a dearly beloved person; darling.

adverb

1. extremely; very.

   She wastes precious little time.

precious British  

/ ˈprɛʃəs /

adjective

1. beloved; dear; cherished

2. very costly or valuable

3. held in high esteem, esp in moral or spiritual matters

4. very fastidious or affected, as in speech, manners, etc

5. informal worthless

   you and your precious ideas!

---

adverb

1. informal (intensifier)

   there's precious little left

Synonym Usage

See valuable.

Other Word Forms

• nonprecious
  adjective
• nonpreciously
  adverb
• nonpreciousness
  noun
• preciously
  adverb
• preciousness
  noun
• unprecious
  adjective
• unpreciously
  adverb
• unpreciousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of precious

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English preciose (from Old French precios ), from Latin pretiōsus “costly, valuable,” equivalent to preti(um) “price, value, worth” ( see price) + -ōsus -ous

Explanation

To call something precious is to describe it as highly valued. Think of a gemstone when you call your baby sister precious. Diamonds, emeralds and rubies are all precious stones and gold and silver are precious metals. If it is something valuable and treasured, it can be called precious too. Fresh water is a precious resource especially in desert countries. Many precious books and painting have been destroyed through fire and war. On a more personal note, guard your memories as they will always be precious to you.

Example Sentences

With both now out of his way, there are precious few players left in the draw who have the experience of beating the Serb great in a Grand Slam setting.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Firefighters discovered some precious items after coming to the aid of a family whose home was destroyed by a fast-moving wildfire in Simi Valley this week.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

She and Justin held their daughter for a few precious moments as her heartbeat stilled, marveling at her perfect tiny fingers and toes and whispering private words of love.

From Salon • May 27, 2026

“Any sign of reduced conflict in the Middle East tends to shift market sentiment quickly, especially across energy-related assets, currencies, and precious metals,” XS.com’s Antonio Di Giacomo says in an email.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

“Never. Let’s forget it. It is improper. Improper. Rostam is too precious to me.”

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri