précieux

[ prey-see-oo; French prey-syœ ]

adjective

1. (of a man) overly fastidious or refined; precious; affected.

noun

, plural pré·cieux [prey-see-, ooz, p, r, ey-, syœ].

1. an affected or excessively fastidious man, as in dress, manner, or speech.

Word History and Origins

Origin of précieux¹

1890–95; < French; literally, precious

Example Sentences

Carefully, Brand carried inside the stolen reliquary of the “Précieux Sang,” or “Precious Blood” in French — an ornate, jewel-encrusted container that protects two lead vials with pieces of linen believed to be doused with the blood of Jesus.

From Washington Post

Last week, Dan Brown — “The Da Vinci Code” author whose novels follow the adventures of protagonist Langdon — shared a story about Brand and the “Précieux Sang” with his 5.9 million Facebook followers.

From Washington Post

If you’re looking for a well-rounded oil for everyday use, consider Okoko Cosmétiques’s Les 16 Précieux face oil, which includes prickly pear, marula and baobab, as well as bakuchiol, white lupin and coenzyme Q10 for firming and soothing.

From New York Times

It is remarkable, however, how uniform the average wages in the different trades is: vêtements, 3.33 francs; fils et tissus, 3.42; boisellerie, vannerie, 3.44; garçons boulangers, bouchers 3.50; arts chimiques et céramiques 3.71; bâtiments, 3.81; carosserie, 3.86; peaux et cuirs, 3.87; ameublement, 3.90; articles de Paris, 3.94; métaux communs, 3.98; métaux précieux, 4.17; imprimerie, 4.18.

From Project Gutenberg

En même temps je crois devoir ajouter, que les manuscrits les plus précieux ne sortent jamais de la Bibliothèque, dans aucun cas, de même que les codes dont s'occupent les savants du pays.'

From Project Gutenberg