precious English · revision 5909

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1250|origins=la pretiosus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpreʃ.əs/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English preciouse, precious, [[bor|fro|precios|t=precious, costly, honourable]] (modern French précieux),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|pretiōsus|t=costly, valuable]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|pretium|t=value, worth, price]] (see [[price]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of great worth or price, costly: about 1250 in Barnhart, the mid-13th century in Etymonline and before 1300 in the OED.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Of great moral or spiritual worth is also from before 1300.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Over-refined or fastidious is from the late 14th century, in Chaucer about 1395;^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) Hoad notes that the modern use of this sense dates from the 18th century.^(Hoad 1986) As an intensive of something bad, “out-and-out, arrant”, it is from about 1430, 1449 in Lydgate in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) From the 16th through the 18th century it also had an ironic sense, “worthless”,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) still heard in ''you and your precious ideas''.^(Collins 2023) Precious metals, gold and silver, are from 1776.^(Etymonline) The noun, a beloved person or thing, is from 1706,^(Etymonline) and since the ''Lord of the Rings'' films it often echoes Tolkien.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1250 – valuable.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1395 – over-refined, in Chaucer.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1430 – arrant, out-and-out.^(OED 1989)

+ * 16th century – ironically, worthless.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1706 – a beloved person.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1776 – precious metals.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of great [[value]]; costly: ''precious stones''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Greatly loved or valued; [[cherish|alt=cherished]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Affectedly refined or fastidious, as in speech or manners.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' Used ironically or as an intensive: ''a precious fool''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(informal)'' Very: ''precious little''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A darling or beloved person.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[preciously]]

+ * [[preciousness]]

+ * [[unprecious]]

+ * [[nonprecious]]

+ * [[semiprecious]]

+ * [[precious metal]]

+ * [[precious stone]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[appraise]]

+ * [[appreciate]]

+ * [[depreciate]]

+ * [[praise]]

+ * [[preciosity]]

+ * [[price]]

+ * [[prize]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}