cute
/ˈkjut/
adjective
Core
1.adj.attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness
“a cute kid with pigtails”
2.adj.obviously contrived to charm
“an insufferably precious performance”
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cute and precious share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. cute means “attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness”. precious means “characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for”. cute is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkjut/
1.adj.attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness
“a cute kid with pigtails”
2.adj.obviously contrived to charm
“an insufferably precious performance”
/ˈpɹɛʃəs/
1.adj.characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for
“a cherished friend”
2.adj.of high worth or cost
“diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds are precious stones”
3.adj.held in great esteem for admirable qualities especially of an intrinsic nature
“a valued friend”
| cute | precious | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkjut/ | /ˈpɹɛʃəs/ |
| Said | kyoot | PRESH-uhs |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | adjective | adjective, adverb |
| Senses | 2 | 5 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | cunning | cherished, treasured, wanted |
Full entry for cute · Full entry for precious · More comparisons