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précieuse
[ prey-see-ooz; French prey-syœz ]
noun
, plural pré·cieus·es [prey-see-, ooz, -iz, p, r, ey-, syœz].
- one of the 17th-century literary women of France who affected an extreme care in the use of language.
- an affected or pretentious woman, especially one marked by preciosity in manner or speech.
adjective
- (of a woman) marked by affectation or preciosity.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of précieuse1
1720–30; < French; feminine of précieux ( def ); -euse
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Example Sentences
We find here the code which ruled the Hotel de Rambouillet, and the very well-defined character of the precieuse.
From Project Gutenberg
The use of names was banished, and each was addressed as “ma chere” or “ma precieuse.”
From Project Gutenberg
To be a precieuse was in itself an evidence of good conduct.
From Project Gutenberg
The poet Scarron speaks of her as "toute lumineuse, toute precieuse."
From Project Gutenberg
There was Ninon; and there was Madame de Rambouillet; the one galante, the other precieuse.
From Project Gutenberg
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