preciosity
(prɛʃɪˈɒsɪtɪ)
Forms: 4 preciousite, 4–5 -osyte(e, 5 preci-, precyosite, -yte, -oustee, -owste, 6 Sc. pretiositie, 7 -ity, 7– preciosity.
[a. OF. preciosité (13–14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), precieuseté, mod.F. préciosité, ad. L. pretiōsitās, -tātem, f. pretiōsus precious: see -ity.]
1. The quality of being precious or costly; preciousness, great worth, value. Now rare or Obs.
| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 376 Crist techiþ here þe preciousite of his preching. c 1449 Pecock Repr. v. xiii. (Rolls) 553 Gaynes preciosite or costiosenes. c 1470 Harding Chron. ccvii. v, Iewelles in chestes, and stones of precioustee. 1494 Fabyan Chron. II. 439 A relyke accomptyd of great precyosyte. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) III. 521 Vestimentis of greit pretiositie. 1681 H. More Exp. Dan. i. 3 The order of dignity or pretiosity in the Metals. |
2. Anything very costly, an article of value. Now rare or Obs.
| 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 179 Fyn gold and other precyosytees. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 185 The Index or forefinger was too naked whereto to commit their pretiosities. 1668 H. More Div. Dial. iii. vi. (1713) 192 The curiosity of their application of these Preciosities. 1850 Carlyle Latter-d. Pamph. vii. (1872) 225 Glittering man-mountains filled with gold and preciosities. 1864 ― Fredk. Gt. xv. vii. IV. 107 The Preciosities and household gods. |
3. Affectation of refinement or distinction, esp. in the use of language; fastidious refinement in literary style. (See precious a. 3.)
| 1866 Carlyle Remin. I. 89 ‘Circle’ he pronounced ‘circul’ with a certain preciosity which was noticeable slightly in other parts of his behaviour. 1887 H. D. Traill in Macm. Mag. July 176 The circles of Oxford preciosity. 1895 Forum (N.Y.) Oct. 191 The Parisian preciosity ridiculed by Molière. 1897 Sat. Rev. 20 Nov. 536 This..may be described as the reductio ad absurdum of the preciosity of Pater and Stevenson. |