precious
Americanadjective
-
of high price or great value; very valuable or costly.
precious metals.
-
highly esteemed for some spiritual, nonmaterial, or moral quality.
precious memories.
-
dear; beloved.
a precious child.
- Synonyms:
- darling
-
affectedly or excessively delicate, refined, or nice.
precious manners.
-
flagrant; gross.
a precious fool.
noun
adverb
adjective
-
beloved; dear; cherished
-
very costly or valuable
-
held in high esteem, esp in moral or spiritual matters
-
very fastidious or affected, as in speech, manners, etc
-
informal worthless
you and your precious ideas!
adverb
Synonym Usage
See valuable.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing precious
"Black Panther" Lingo
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Unit 1: Telling Details
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act IV
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Alongside his wife Precious, Jon is shining a light on the need for faster, fairer access to diagnosis," she said.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
The 78-year-old journalist and his wife Precious Lunga will be seen navigating his diagnosis in a film that will receive its premiere next week.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Precious metals miner Hochschild is down 2.4% and Fresnillo is down 2.7%.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Most Bryant rookie Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems cards have a red background and fetch around $300,000.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
‘Sméagol will swear never, never, to let Him have it. Never! Sméagol will save it. But he must swear on the Precious.’
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
