English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
Login Flashcards
adjective B1 Intermediate Common

precious

PREHSH-uhs
Quiz me More like this

Precious (adjective) means of great value or worth. Example: “Clean water is a precious resource in that part of the world.”

adjective
1
Of great value or worth.
"Clean water is a precious resource in that part of the world."
"She kept the letters as her most precious possessions."
"Her grandmother's ring was a precious heirloom, kept safely in a small wooden box."
2
Deeply loved or cherished.
"Every moment with his newborn daughter felt precious."
"He gave his precious little sister a hug before she left for school."
"Those childhood photographs are precious to my mother."
3
Overly fussy, delicate, or affected — used somewhat critically.
"His writing style got a bit precious in places, full of ornate turns of phrase."
"The cafe's menu was a bit precious, with tiny portions and very long names."
"I found the director's precious attitude to his own film rather tiring."

How to use precious

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomething worth a lot, either in money or in emotional value — or, in a more critical sense, someone acting overly delicate or self-important about small things.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the affectionate sense (\"my precious memories\") with the critical one (\"his precious little rules\") — tone and context tell them apart.

Common pairings
precious metal precious memories precious little time
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like precious.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice

Word forms

Plural
preciouses
Comparative
more precious
Superlative
most precious
Test yourself on “precious” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Clean water is a _____ resource in that part of the world.

Etymology

From Old French precios, from Latin pretiosus (\"costly, valuable\"), from pretium, \"price\" — the same root as \"price\" itself.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

View more →
valuable priceless treasured cherished invaluable beloved cute valued wanted

Antonyms

worthless cheap

Related words

love pretty wanted buy popular loved sell dear

Rhymes for precious

yous nous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous unctuous tortuous spurious infamous
See all rhymes for precious →

Frequently asked questions

What does “precious” mean?
The word “precious” means of great value or worth. In plain terms, something worth a lot, either in money or in emotional value — or, in a more critical sense, someone acting overly delicate or self-important about small things.
How do you pronounce “precious”?
“Precious” is pronounced PREHSH-uhs (/ˈpɹɛʃ.əs/ in IPA).
How do you use “precious” in a sentence?
Here is “precious” used in a sentence: “Clean water is a precious resource in that part of the world.”
What part of speech is “precious”?
“Precious” is an adjective.
Where does the word “precious” come from?
The word “precious” comes from Latin. From Old French precios, from Latin pretiosus (\"costly, valuable\"), from pretium, \"price\" — the same root as \"price\" itself.
Is “precious” a common word?
“Precious” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “precious” have?
“Precious” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: of great value or worth.
What is the difference between "precious" and "valuable"?
"Valuable" means worth a lot of money or highly useful. "Precious" can mean of great value or worth and also deeply loved or cherished. Something can be precious for emotional reasons even if it has little monetary value, such as a family photograph.
What is the difference between "precious" and "priceless"?
"Precious" means of great value or deeply cherished. "Priceless" is stronger, meaning so valuable that no price can be put on it. All priceless things are precious, but not everything precious is literally priceless.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include precious:

Words that start with P Words that end with S The 5000 most common English words

People also searched

love pretty wanted buy popular loved sell dear