What does precious mean?
Precious is an adjective meaning highly valued, cherished, or regarded with great affection. It describes people, memories, possessions, resources, and experiences that are important to someone. Its emotional force often exceeds the literal idea of monetary value: a memory may be precious without having any market price, while a period of time may be precious because it cannot be recovered. The word can also indicate that something is rare, valuable, or too important to treat casually, as in references to precious stones and precious documents. In informal writing, it may sound affectionate and emphatic, as in “my precious,” or suggest that someone is being overly protective, as in “don’t be so precious about it.” Rarely, precious is used as a noun to refer collectively to cherished people or things, though the adjective is overwhelmingly its normal form.
Highly valued, cherished, or regarded with great affection; often also implying that something is too valuable or important to treat casually.
"The necklace was precious to her because it had belonged to her grandmother."
The usual part of speech of precious. It can convey affection, rarity, high monetary value, or the idea of being irreplaceable.
People or things regarded with exceptional affection or value.
"The wealthy family spared the precious when the city was evacuated."
Rare and chiefly literary or informal; usually appears in the substantivized form “the precious.”
Used substantivally as a collective plural; no separate plural form is standard.
"The museum installed a special display for some of its most precious holdings."
Precious began as a description of something worth a high price, but today it often expresses something deeper: value that cannot be measured in money.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of precious
The English word came through Old French precieux from Latin pretiosus, meaning “valuable” or “of great worth.” Latin pretiosus was derived from pretium, the root behind English words such as price, prize, appreciate, and depreciate. Over time, precious developed from a straightforward description of high value into a broader word for things cherished because of their emotional or personal significance.
Related word forms
How precious is actually used
The word is common in both British and American English. It can sound formal, tender, or emotionally emphatic; in phrases such as “precious time,” it conveys irreplaceability rather than necessarily referring to something expensive.
Easily confused with precious
Precious means highly valued or cherished, whereas precise means exact and accurate.