precious

precious — adjective

1. worth a lot, often because few exist, they cost much, or they matter deeply

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

worth a lot, often because few exist, they cost much, or they matter deeply

Example

The museum keeps precious coins in a locked glass case.

precious + valuable object

The jeweler weighed the precious gold chain before naming a price.

precious gold chain

Common collocations
  • precious stones
  • precious metals
  • precious ring
  • precious letters
Synonyms
  • valuable

    the broad everyday word for something worth a lot

  • costly

    stresses high price more than personal importance

  • prized

    often adds the idea that people protect it carefully

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

precious coins

precious ring

be precious

Usage Note

Common with jewelry, metals, stones, documents, and other things whose worth comes from rarity, price, or importance. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names high value itself, not the need to avoid waste.

Common Mistakes

This plastic cup is precious because it is cheap.
This plastic cup is useful, but it is not precious.
Precious in this sense suggests high value, not low price.

2. so useful or limited that you should spend it carefully, not carelessly

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

so useful or limited that you should spend it carefully, not carelessly

Example

We have only ten minutes, so let's not waste precious time.

precious time

The hospital needs precious space for patients with serious injuries.

precious space

Common collocations
  • precious time
  • precious space
  • precious fuel
  • precious battery power
Synonyms
  • valuable

    can also describe something worth protecting, but it is less focused on waste

  • limited

    states that only a small amount is available

  • scarce

    stresses shortage, often in formal or written contexts

Antonyms
  • plentiful

    suggests there is enough and careful use is less urgent

  • wasted

    describes something already used badly or without care

Grammar Patterns

precious time

precious space

precious fuel

Usage Note

Usually used for time, space, fuel, energy, money, and other limited resources. Distinguish from sense 1: something can be precious here even if it is not rare or expensive.

Common Mistakes

My phone battery is precious because it is made of gold.
My phone battery is precious because I should not waste it on games.
This sense is about limited useful resources, not price or material.

3. loved so much that it has special meaning in your life

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

loved so much that it has special meaning in your life

Example

This old photo is precious to Maya because it shows her father.

precious to somebody

The song became precious to us after our wedding in Tainan.

become precious to somebody

Common collocations
  • precious to me
  • precious memory
  • precious family time
  • precious friend
Synonyms
  • cherished

    stresses warm feeling and long-term care

  • dear

    a simple word for someone or something you love

  • beloved

    stronger and often more emotional or literary

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

precious to somebody

be precious to somebody

precious memory

Usage Note

Often follows to when you name the person who feels the affection. Distinguish from sense 1: here the value comes from love or memory, not from money or rarity.

Common Mistakes

This ring is precious to me because it cost fifty dollars.
This ring is precious to me because my mother gave it to me.
Precious to someone usually points to personal feeling, not price alone.

4. too careful, sweet, or elegant in a way that feels false instead of relaxed

4.adjectiveC1
Definition

too careful, sweet, or elegant in a way that feels false instead of relaxed

Example

His precious voice made the simple joke sound like a school speech.

critical use about manner of speaking

At dinner, Clara's precious manners annoyed everyone at the table.

precious manners

Common collocations
  • precious manners
  • precious voice
  • precious accent
  • precious tone
Synonyms
  • affected

    the closest formal word for behavior that feels put on

  • mannered

    often used for speech or movement that seems unnatural

  • overdone

    less exact, but it suggests too much style or effort

Antonyms
  • natural

    showing an easy, genuine manner

  • relaxed

    suggests ease rather than stiff performance

Grammar Patterns

precious manners

precious tone

be precious

Usage Note

Usually critical and often applied to speech, manners, smiles, or style. Distinguish from sense 5: sense 4 attacks the person's artificial behavior, while sense 5 mocks something another person cares about.

Common Mistakes

Her precious handwriting helped the class read the notes.
Her neat handwriting helped the class read the notes.
Precious here is negative and suggests affected style, not simple neatness.

5. said before a noun to mock how important another person thinks it is

5.adjectiveC1
Definition

said before a noun to mock how important another person thinks it is

Example

Put your precious phone away and help me carry these boxes.

sarcastic precious + noun

Max refuses to share his precious parking space with anyone.

mocking attitude before noun

Common collocations
  • precious phone
  • precious bike
  • precious boss
  • precious parking space
Synonyms
  • important

    the neutral literal meaning that the speaker is mocking here

  • special

    usually positive, but tone can also make it sound mocking

  • fancy

    informal and often mocking when someone thinks something is better than it is

Antonyms
  • ordinary

    the speaker treats the thing as nothing special

  • minor

    suggests it should not matter much

Grammar Patterns

your precious phone

his precious car

their precious plans

Usage Note

Only before a noun, and the tone is annoyed, mocking, or bitter. Distinguish from senses 1 and 3: those are sincere positive meanings, but this sense is sarcastic.

Common Mistakes

My precious son won a prize.
My dear son won a prize.
Precious before a noun often sounds sarcastic unless you are joking on purpose.

precious — adverb

Word family

  • preciously
    adverbC2
  • preciousness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

For adjective/1, precious often suggests more than simple money value. A precious object may be worth a lot because it is rare, hard to replace, or important to keep safe. Valuable is broader and can describe anything useful or worth a lot, including skills and information. Expensive only talks about high price, so an expensive chair may not feel precious. Rare means not common, but a rare thing is not always valuable. Priceless is stronger: it can mean too valuable to measure in money, or emotionally beyond price. You can buy an expensive watch, find a rare shell, protect valuable data, but keep a precious ring close to your heart.

valuable ↗expensive ↗rare ↗priceless

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle English

Precious came into English through Old French from a Latin word built on the idea of price or value. Its earliest meaning was about something costly or highly valued. Later, English speakers extended it to things valued for emotional reasons, and also to negative uses for overly delicate behavior or for sarcastic comments like your precious phone.