Word a Day
precious
What does precious mean?
precious (adjective): of high value or worth.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use precious in a sentence?
- The crown had many precious gemstones. (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0)
How do you pronounce precious?
/ˈpɹɛʃəs/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does precious come from?
Inherited from Middle English precious, borrowed from Old French precios (“valuable, costly, precious, beloved, also affected, finical”), from Latin pretiōsus (“of great value, costly, dear, precious”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “precious”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “precious” mean?
very uncommon; scarce
Not quite: that's what rare means.
of high value or worth
Right! That's what “precious” means.
being of use or service
Not quite: that's what useful means.
dead; having lost life
Not quite: that's what lifeless means.
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