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Which gemstone is considered precious?

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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.

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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!

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adverb

1. informal (intensifier)

   there's precious little left

Synonym Usage

See valuable.

Other Word Forms

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

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

See Examples For:

precious

The designers said in a note they wanted to "open the wardrobes of the great Sicilian families" and create a dialogue between "the precious and the everyday".

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

She may also have to devote precious time to the practical task of showcasing the condo for sale, and emptying years of living that would prevent a buyer from imagining themselves living there.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

That would solve her immediate problem of finding her way home but create an even worse one by erasing her recall of her most precious friendship.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

For tourists, the hard part comes when it’s time to get their precious cargo home.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

During the long war, Billy Lee usually carried the general’s field glass, or telescope, and “most precious letters,” perhaps those from his wife, Martha, most of which she later destroyed.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis