ENGLISH
REFERENCE

precious

adj. · n. · adv.
US //ˈpɹɛʃəs// UK //pɹˈɛʃəs// pre·cious
  1. 1 valuable (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    worth a lot of money because it is rare or high quality.

    of great value or high price, typically due to rarity or intrinsic quality.

    Example

    The museum keeps its most precious jewels in a high-security glass case.

    Example

    The mining company discovered a rich vein of precious metals deep within the mountain range, sparking a local economic boom.
  2. 2 loved or cherished (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    very important to you because you love it or it has special memories.

    highly esteemed or cherished for emotional or sentimental reasons.

    Example

    She kept the precious old photos in a box under her bed.

    Example

    To the elderly couple, their garden was more precious than any material possession they had acquired over the decades.
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  1. 3 affected or over-refined (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    behaving in a way that is too delicate or fancy to be natural.

    excessively delicate, refined, or fastidious in a way that appears artificial or annoying.

    Example

    The critic found the author's writing style a bit too precious and difficult to read.

    Example

    The director's precious approach to the source material alienated audiences who preferred a more grounded and realistic interpretation.
  2. 4 protective or sensitive (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    being too careful or protective about something you think is special.

    excessively protective or sensitive about one's work, ideas, or possessions.

    Example

    He is very precious about his car and won't let anyone else drive it.

    Example

    The lead designer was notoriously precious about her initial sketches, often refusing to accept even the most constructive feedback from her peers.
  3. 5 a loved person (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    a name you call someone you love very much.

    a term of endearment used for a person who is loved or cherished.

    Example

    Come here, my precious, and let me see how much you have grown.

    Example

    The letter began with a simple address to his 'precious', a term he had used exclusively for his wife since their youth.
  4. 6 very or extremely (adv.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    used to mean 'very', often when you are complaining that there is not enough of something.

    used as an intensifier, particularly in the phrase 'precious little' or 'precious few' to emphasize scarcity.

    Example

    We have precious little time left to finish this project before the deadline.

    Example

    Despite the grand promises made during the campaign, there has been precious little progress on the promised infrastructure reforms.
Origin

From Middle English precious, borrowed from Old French precios (“valuable, costly, precious, beloved, also affected, finical”), from Latin pretiōsus (“of great value, costly, dear, precious”), from pretium (“value, price”); see price.

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