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Definition of "precious" []

  • Of high cost or worth; valuable. (adjective)
  • Highly esteemed; cherished. (adjective)
  • Dear; beloved. (adjective)
  • Affectedly dainty or overrefined: precious mannerisms. (adjective)
  • Informal Thoroughgoing; unmitigated: a precious mess. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "precious" in a sentence
  • ""My precious, _precious_ child," she said, "_He_ is able to save to the"
  • "I know what they mean, but this is a rare case where I would use the term "precious" as a term of praise."
  • "Husky and direct rather than what she calls "precious and demure," she's never been shy about invoking her home country one of her top early songs is called "Hockey Skates"."