prezioso Italian · revision 39258

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1224, Francis of Assisi|origins=la pretium}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /pretˈt͡sjo.zo/, /pretˈt͡sjo.so/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''prezioso''' (feminine preziosa, masculine plural preziosi, feminine plural preziose, superlative preziosissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include ''pretioso'', ''precioso'', ''presioso'' and ''pregioso'', the last influenced by [[pregio]].^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|14, 319)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|pretiōsus|t=costly, of great value]], from [[m|la|pretium|t=price, value]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin adjective is formed with the suffix [[m|la|-ōsus]].^(Wiktionary) Its counterparts are [[fr|précieux]] and [[es|precioso]], and the Italian noun of the same root is [[prezzo]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Sabatini and DEI trace the sense “affected, over-refined” to French [[m|fr|précieux]], used of the 17th-century [[m|fr|précieuse|alt=précieuses]].^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DEI|3077) De Vaan derives the Latin noun from a Proto-Italic noun meaning “exchange value”, built on a preposition [[ine-pro|*preti|t=against]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record, in the form ''pretioso'', is in the ''Canticle of the Creatures'' of Francis of Assisi, about 1224, with the sense “of great value”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The form ''prezioso'' is in Giacomo da Lentini before 1250, who writes that every jewel that is rarer is held more ''preziosa''.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|14, 319)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the start the word described costly things, precious stones and fabrics, and by extension whatever is valued for its rarity or usefulness.^(GDLI|14, 319)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Boccaccio has ''preziose pietre'', precious stones, and the phrase ''metallo prezioso'' for gold, silver and platinum is old.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ The sense “affected, overrefined, hard to get” is recorded in 1713, and the noun ''preziosi'', “jewels, valuables”, in 1922.^(DELI 1999) DEI records a noun use for the French poets of the 17th century, and Croce used ''preziosismo'' for that movement in 1910 and for affected refinement in general in 1936.^(DEI|3077)^(DELI 1999) In familiar language ''fare il prezioso'' is said of someone who makes himself scarce.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1224 – Francis of Assisi uses ''pretioso'' in the ''Canticle of the Creatures''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1250 – Giacomo da Lentini has the form ''prezioso''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1305–1306 – ''Preziositade'' “preciousness” appears in Giordano da Pisa.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1713 – The sense “affected, over-refined” is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1910 – Croce uses ''preziosismo'' for the French literary movement.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1922 – The noun ''preziosi'' “jewels” is first recorded in Zingarelli's dictionary.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|precious]], of high price or value: ''un anello prezioso'', ''metalli preziosi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Valuable because rare, important or useful: ''Ogni goccia d'acqua è preziosa nel deserto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Of great moral, practical or emotional worth: ''Il tuo consiglio mi è stato prezioso.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Of great cultural, historical or scientific importance: ''un codice prezioso''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Of style, [[m|en|refined]] or [[m|en|affected]], studied: ''versi preziosi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Of a person, who makes himself scarce or hard to get: ''farsi prezioso''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(chiefly plural)'' A [[m|en|jewel]], a valuable object: ''una cassaforte piena di preziosi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' A person who makes himself scarce: ''fare il prezioso''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(literature)'' A follower of 17th-century French ''préciosité''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[preziosità]]

+ * [[preziosismo]]

+ * [[preziosamente]]

+ * [[impreziosire]]

+ * [[semiprezioso]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prezzo]]

+ * [[pregio]]

+ * [[la|pretiosus]]

+ * [[fr|précieux]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Fixed phrases include ''pietra preziosa'' (precious stone), ''metallo prezioso'' (precious metal) and, in Catholic devotion, ''Preziosissimo Sangue'' (the Most Precious Blood).^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}