preciosity
/,preʃi'ɔsiti/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. Affected or excessive refinement in art, language, or manner: The quality of being overly concerned with delicate, elaborate, or artificial elegance, often to the point of being unnatural or pretentious.
Usage
The word "preciosity" is a formal and often critical term. It describes a style or behavior that is not simply refined or elegant, but is excessively and self-consciously so. It implies a focus on minute details and artificial beauty that can seem affected, unnatural, or disconnected from genuine feeling or substance. It is commonly used in literary and artistic criticism.
Examples
- The poet's later work was criticized for its preciosity, filled with convoluted metaphors that obscured the meaning.
- Her speech was marked by a certain preciosity, as if every word had been chosen for its rarity rather than its clarity.
- The decorator avoided preciosity, preferring a style that was elegant yet comfortable and lived-in.
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context (Préciosité): The term originates from the 17th-century French literary and social movement , where certain women (the ) cultivated an extremely refined and elaborate style in speech, manners, and literature. In this context, "preciosity" can refer specifically to the affected elegance and elaborate conceits characteristic of that movement.
Variants and Related Words
- Precious (adj): 1. Of great value. 2. (Often derogatory) Affectedly refined, delicate, or sentimental.
- Preciously (adv): In a precious manner.
- Preciousness (noun): The state or quality of being precious. This can mean "great value" or, like "preciosity," "affected refinement."
Synonyms
- Affectation
- Mannerism
- Artificiality
- Fastidiousness
- Over-refinement
- Pretentiousness
Antonyms
- Naturalness
- Simplicity
- Unaffectedness
- Artlessness
- Plainness
Noun
- the quality of being fastidious or excessively refined