From “La preciosa” to “La pretieuse” (1613-1659): the road to Moliere’s “The ridiculous pr'ecieuses”

The article deals with development of ideas about “précieuses” in French literature and culture of 1610-1650s. The word combination “precious woman” as symbol of moral and corporal purity begins to be used in France accord a thank to popular exemplary novel of M. Cervantes “The little Gipsy Girl”. In spite of the fact that in the 1630-1640s this word is actively popularized in the Parisian salons, in the Salons poetry and prose. From the middle of the 1650s the increase of negative attitude to this social phenomenon realized in Molière’s play “Les Précieuses ridicules” (1659) is noticeable.