/pray'see ooz"/ ; Fr. /prdday syuez"/ , n. , pl. précieuses /-see ooz"iz/ ; Fr. /-syuez"/ , adj.
n.
1. one of the 17th-century literary women of France who affected an extreme care in the use of language.
2. an affected or pretentious woman, esp. one marked by preciosity in manner or speech.
adj.
3. (of a woman) marked by affectation or preciosity.
[ 1720-30; ]