How to pronounce precious
Say it like PRESH-us. Precious has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PRESH).
- PRESH
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Precious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PRESHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of precious
American and British speakers say precious in essentially the same way: /ˈprɛʃəs/ in the US and /ˈprɛʃəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: PRESH-us.
What does precious mean?
- Of high value or worth.
- Regarded with love or tenderness.“The way my partner looks at me is just so precious.”
- Excessively complicated.
- Someone (or something) who is loved; a darling.
- Very; an intensifier.“There is precious little we can do.”
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”), from pretium (“value, price”); see price.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying precious
How do you pronounce precious?
Say PRESH-us. The American pronunciation is /ˈprɛʃəs/. In British English it is /ˈprɛʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in precious?
Precious has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PRESH). Broken into parts: PRESH · us.
Do Americans and Brits say precious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈprɛʃəs/ and the British form is /ˈprɛʃəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.