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| Date: | 1200-1300 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | precios, from Latin pretiosus, from pretium; PRICE1 |
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pre‧cious1
1 something that is precious is valuable and important and should not be wasted or used without care planes delivering precious supplies of medicine and food
planes delivering precious supplies of medicine and food3 precious memories or possessions are important to you because they remind you of people you like or events in your life
4 [only before noun] spoken used to show that you are annoyed that someone seems to care too much about something : I never touched your precious car!
I never touched your precious car!5 spoken used to speak to someone you love, especially a baby or small child : Come sit by me, precious.
Come sit by me, precious.6 American English spoken used in order to describe someone or something that is small and pretty [= cute]: The kids gave me that ornament. Isn't it precious?
The kids gave me that ornament. Isn't it precious?7 formal too concerned about style or detail in your writing or speech, so that it does not seem natural : His early work is rather precious and juvenile.
His early work is rather precious and juvenile. —preciously adverb
—preciousness noun [uncountable]
