The difference between Precious and Valuable

When used as nouns, precious means someone (or something) who is loved, whereas valuable means a personal possession such as jewellery, of relatively great monetary value.

When used as adjectives, precious means of high value or worth, whereas valuable means having a great value.


Precious is also adverb with the meaning: very.

check bellow for the other definitions of Precious and Valuable

  1. Precious as an adjective:

    Of high value or worth.

    Examples:

    "The crown had many precious gemstones. This building work needs site access, and tell the city council that I don't care about a few lorry tyre ruts across their precious grass verge."

  2. Precious as an adjective:

    Regarded with love or tenderness.

    Examples:

    "My precious daughter is to marry."

  3. Precious as an adjective (pejorative):

    Treated with too much reverence.

    Examples:

    "He spent hours painting the eyes of the portrait, which his fellow artists regarded as a bit precious."

  4. Precious as an adjective (pejorative):

    Contrived to be cute or charming.

  1. Precious as a noun:

    Someone (or something) who is loved; a darling.

  1. Precious as an adverb:

    Very;

    Examples:

    "There is precious little we can do."

    "precious few pictures of him exist"

  1. Valuable as an adjective:

    Having a great value.

    Examples:

    "'valuable gemstones"

  2. Valuable as an adjective:

    Estimable; deserving esteem.

    Examples:

    "a valuable friend; a valuable companion"

  1. Valuable as a noun:

    a personal possession such as jewellery, of relatively great monetary value; — usually used in plural form.

Compare words: