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

A slim science fiction novel that looks at our “precious and precarious” world through the eyes of six astronauts on the International Space Station has won the 2024 Booker Prize.

From Los Angeles Times

He told the BBC he might have sought help to die if it had been an option after he was diagnosed, but now says life is precious and he is opposed to assisted dying.

From BBC

Don't waste a single moment of your one precious life on such men.

From Salon

He also outlined a new life insurance cover for anti-poaching rangers, who he described as "guardians of our planet's most precious resources".

From BBC

Looking elegantly windblown in a sweater, her mass of hair cascading like the precious garland of some Irish deity, Farrow has a tendency to trail off in conversation.

From Los Angeles Times