<p><strong>Adjective</strong></p><ul><li>of high price or great value; very valuable or costly: precious metals.</li><li>highly esteemed for some spiritual, nonmaterial, or moral quality: precious memories.</li><li>dear; beloved: a precious child.</li><li>affectedly or excessively delicate, refined, or nice: precious manners.</li><li>flagrant; gross: a precious fool.</li></ul><p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>a dearly beloved person; darling.</li></ul><p><strong>Adverb</strong></p><ul><li>extremely; very: She wastes precious little time.</li></ul>