precious

[ presh-uhs ]

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

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˈpreciousness, noun
• ˈpreciously, adverb

Other Words From

• precious·ly adverb
• precious·ness noun
• non·precious adjective
• non·precious·ly adverb
• non·precious·ness noun
• un·precious adjective
• un·precious·ly adverb
• un·precious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of precious¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of precious¹

C13: from Old French precios, from Latin pretiōsus valuable, from pretium price, value

Synonym Study

See valuable.

Example Sentences

It's this underdog putting it all on the line, and just everything culminating to a moment and how precise and precious or fleeting that thing is.

From Salon

When I moved from New York to Los Angeles more than 20 years ago, I couldn’t afford to ship most of my books, so I sent only the most precious, signed editions I had.

From Los Angeles Times

She says that time was difficult but also “very precious” to her.

From BBC

Like keeping a precious gem in the dark where its facets can’t shine.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr Walton said the finished piece captured "the essence of that precious time, the waiting time and the sense of hope... that kind of yearning".

From BBC