[prey-see-oo
z; Fr. prey-syœz] 
noun, plural -cieus⋅es [-see-ooz-iz; Fr. -syœz] , adjective | 1. | one of the 17th-century literary women of France who affected an extreme care in the use of language. |
| 2. | an affected or pretentious woman, esp. one marked by preciosity in manner or speech. |
| 3. | (of a woman) marked by affectation or preciosity. |