If you say that something such as a resource is precious, you mean that it is valuable and should not be wasted or used badly.
After four months in foreign parts, every hour at home was precious.
A family break allows you to spend precious time together.
Water is becoming an increasingly precious resource.
2. adjective
Precious objects and materials are worth a lot of money because they are rare.
...jewellery and precious objects belonging to her mother.
Synonyms: valuable, expensive, rare, fine More Synonyms of precious
3. adjective
If something is precious to you, you regard it as important and do not want to lose it.
Her family's support is particularly precious to Josie. [+ to]
Mary left her most precious possession–a small bookcase–to her niece.
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
People sometimes use precious to emphasize their dislike for things which other people think are important.
[informal, emphasis]
You don't care about anything but yourself and your precious face.
5. graded adjective
If you describe someone as precious, you mean that they behave in a formal and unnatural way.
[disapproval]
Synonyms: affected, artificial, fastidious, twee [British, informal] More Synonyms of precious
6.
See precious little/precious few
More Synonyms of precious
precious in British English
(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
6. informal
(intensifier)
there's precious little left
Derived forms
preciously (ˈpreciously)
adverb
preciousness (ˈpreciousness)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French precios, from Latin pretiōsus valuable, from pretium price, value
precious in American English
(ˈprɛʃəs)
adjective
1.
of great price or value; costly
2.
of great desirability; held in high esteem
precious rights
3.
beloved; dear
4.
very fastidious, overrefined, or affected, as in behavior, language, etc.
5.
very great
a precious liar
adverb
6. Informal
very
Derived forms
preciously (ˈpreciously)
adverb
preciousness (ˈpreciousness)
noun
Word origin
ME < OFr precios < L pretiosus < pretium, price
Examples of 'precious' in a sentence
precious
There is precious little editing for clarity.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Precious metals miners joined the rally as gold rose against a weaker dollar.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Miners of the precious metal followed suit.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Some people have had that service there all their lives and then something so preciouswas taken away.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The experts will also be looking at precious items that help tell the families' stories.
The Sun (2017)
There's precious little on contemporary cinema screens that means a great deal to my life.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The remainder barely covers council tax and energy costs, there being precious little left for food and other necessities.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Top Washington insiders would kill for 15 minutes of such precious face time.
The Sun (2016)
It is a huge step and ensures we don't waste drugs, money and precious time.
The Sun (2017)
But if willpower and self-control are a limited and precious resource, it makes no sense to squander them unnecessarily.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And now she is expected to be deeply hurt by the loss of her precious belongings.
The Sun (2008)
Why target precious resources at those who need them least?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Victory and precious points about to be squandered?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
And space is increasingly precious in what is an increasingly crowded city.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Drugs can sometimes still buy precious time.
The Sun (2015)
The mining sector as a whole rose as a collapsing dollar boosted precious metals prices.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
There was precious little for the crowd to get its teeth into.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
You are ready to talk about a precious ambition that has been simmering in secret.
The Sun (2010)
Why waste our precious moments simply going through the motions?
Kiam, Victor Going For It!: How to Succeed As an Entrepreneur (1986)
My family is incredibly important and precious.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This is why free speech is so precious.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Quite soon people realised that something precious had been lost.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It was like finding a coat precious stone under a pile of garbage.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
What a precious resource that would have been for the defence at the trial.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Or the width of a post that deprived them of two precious points.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It uses far fewer precious metals than other similar technologies.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There is precious little land in the world further south than this.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
There is precious little flowery about me.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Those are the precious moments you remember until the day you die.
The Sun (2008)
With this in mind make sure not to put in anything too precious that will restrict their use of it.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The soldiers inspected the house, found the hiding place and took all their precious belongings.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We are all disappointed because when you only have five or six games left at home they are all precious and very important.
The Sun (2012)
Word lists with
precious
affection
In other languages
precious
British English: precious /ˈprɛʃəs/ ADJECTIVE
If you say that something such as a resource is precious, you mean that it is valuable and should not be wasted or used badly.
A family holiday allows you to spend precious time together.
American English: precious
Arabic: نَفِيس
Brazilian Portuguese: precioso
Chinese: 宝贵的
Croatian: dragocjen
Czech: cenný
Danish: dyrebar
Dutch: kostbaar
European Spanish: precioso valioso
Finnish: arvokas
French: précieux
German: kostbar
Greek: πολύτιμος
Italian: prezioso
Japanese: 貴重な
Korean: 소중한
Norwegian: verdifull
Polish: cenny
European Portuguese: precioso
Romanian: prețios
Russian: драгоценный
Latin American Spanish: precioso preciado
Swedish: dyrbar
Thai: ล้ำค่า
Turkish: değerli
Ukrainian: цінний
Vietnamese: quý giá trị
All related terms of 'precious'
semi-precious
Semi-precious stones are stones such as turquoises and amethysts that are used in jewellery but are less valuable than precious stones such as diamonds and rubies.
precious asset
Something or someone that is an asset is considered useful or helps a person or organization to be successful .
precious coral
any of several corals of the genus Corallium , the skeletons of which are pinkish-red in colour and used to make ornaments , etc
precious metal
A precious metal is a valuable metal such as gold or silver.
precious point
In some sports, competitions , and games, a point is one of the single marks that are added together to give the total score .
precious stone
A precious stone is a valuable stone, such as a diamond or a ruby, that is used for making jewellery .
precious memories
A memory is something that you remember from the past .
precious resource
The resources of an organization or person are the materials, money, and other things that they have and can use in order to function properly.
precious little/precious few
If you say that there is precious little of something, you are emphasizing that there is very little of it, and that it would be better if there were more. Precious few has a similar meaning.
red coral
any of several corals of the genus Corallium , the skeletons of which are pinkish-red in colour and used to make ornaments , etc