précieux
/pʁe.sjø/
The English word "precious" is translated into French as précieux.
précieux is an adjective used to describe something of high value or worth.
Meaning: of high value or worth (adj)
Which one should you use?
While the primary meaning refers to high value, when précieux is applied to a person's style or behavior, it can carry a negative connotation of being overly refined, affected or annoyingly "precious."
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular is précieux, which is also the form used for the masculine plural. The feminine singular is précieuse, and the feminine plural is précieuses.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /pʁe.sjø/.
Did you know?
- In 17th century France, préciosité was a social movement where women known as les précieuses sought to refine the French language by removing common or vulgar words.
- While an English speaker might call their partner 'precious' to show affection, using précieux in this way in French can make the person sound like a piece of jewelry or a collectible object.
- The word précieux shares a common ancestor with the English word 'price', as both descend from the same Latin root meaning 'value'.
Examples in context
- Le temps est précieux.Time is precious.This sentence shows how to describe time as being valuable using précieux.Tatoeba #8953008 by Julien_PDC, translation #3565106 by trieuho
- Il est précieux pour nous.He is precious to us.This sentence uses précieux to describe a person's importance to a group.Tatoeba #132192 by Archibald, translation #297347 by CM
- L’eau est un bien précieux.Water is a precious resource.This sentence illustrates how to describe a resource as a precious good using précieux.Tatoeba #12268342 by Orange, translation #10324456 by sundown
- Votre temps est précieux pour moi.Your time is precious to me.
- Vos paroles sont précieuses.Your words are precious.
- Ton sourire est trop précieux.Your smile is too precious.
- Leurs souvenirs sont précieux pour moi.Their memories are precious to me.
- Mes petits chéris ont grandi si vite.My precious little ones have grown up so fast.
- Ce collier est très précieux, tu devrais le ranger avec soin.This necklace is very precious, you should store it carefully.
- Les souvenirs précieux de mon enfance me rendent nostalgique.The precious memories of my childhood make me nostalgic.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are looking at an old family heirloom in a museum.
- GabrielCe bijou est vraiment précieux.This piece of jewelry is truly precious.
- EmmaOui, il est très ancien.Yes, it is very old.
- GabrielIl faut en prendre soin.We must take care of it.
- EmmaC'est un objet précieux pour la famille.It is a precious object for the family.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “precious” translations and entries précieux, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries précieux, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
