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Definition of preciousest - 2 dictionary results

pre⋅cious

  [presh-uhs]
Use preciousest in a Sentence
–adjective
1. of high price or great value; very valuable or costly: precious metals.
2. highly esteemed for some spiritual, nonmaterial, or moral quality: precious memories.
3. dear; beloved: a precious child.
4. affectedly or excessively delicate, refined, or nice: precious manners.
5. flagrant; gross: a precious fool.
–noun
6. a dearly beloved person; darling.
–adverb
7. extremely; very: She wastes precious little time.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME preciose (< OF precios) < L pretiōsus costly, valuable, equiv. to preti(um) price, value + -ōsus -ous

Related forms:
pre⋅cious⋅ly, adverb
pre⋅cious⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. See valuable. 3. darling, cherished.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

precious 
c.1290, from O.Fr. precios (11c., Fr. précieux), from L. pretiosus "costly, valuable," from pretium "value, worth, price" (see price). Meaning "over-refined" first recorded c.1395. Precieuse "a woman aiming at refined delicacy of language and taste" (1727) is from Fr. précieuse, noun use of fem. of précieux, especially as lampooned in Molière's comedy "Les Précieuses ridicules" (1659).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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