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• treasury
  treasury

  noun

  a place where the funds of the government, of a corporation, or the like are deposited, kept, and disbursed.
• Treasury
  Treasury

  noun

  (in various countries) the government department in charge of finance. In Britain the Treasury is also responsible for economic strategy

treasury

American  

[trezh-uh-ree] / ˈtrɛʒ ə ri /

noun

• treasuries
  plural

1. a place where the funds of the government, of a corporation, or the like are deposited, kept, and disbursed.

2. funds or revenue of a government, public or private corporation, etc.

3. (initial capital letter) the department of government that has control over the collection, management, and disbursement of the public revenue.

4. a building, room, chest, or other place for the preservation of treasure or valuable objects.

5. a collection or supply of excellent or highly prized writings, works of art, etc..

   a treasury of American poetry.

6. Informal. Treasuries, Treasury bills, bonds, and notes.

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treasury ¹ British  

/ ˈtrɛʒərɪ /

noun

1. a storage place for treasure

2. the revenues or funds of a government, private organization, or individual

3. a place where funds are kept and disbursed

4. Also: treasure house. a collection or source of valuable items

   a treasury of information

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Treasury ² British  

/ ˈtrɛʒərɪ /

noun

1. (in various countries) the government department in charge of finance. In Britain the Treasury is also responsible for economic strategy

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• treasuries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of treasury

1250–1300; Middle English tresorie < Old French. See treasure, -y ³

Explanation

A treasury is a kind of bank — it's a place where money and other valuable things are kept, or where a country keeps its wealth. You might guess that a treasury is a place to keep your treasure, and you'd be right. Originally, the word literally meant "room for treasure," from the Old French tresor, "hoard or treasure." Starting in the late 1300s, it also meant "department that controls public revenue," which remains the most common use of treasury today. The U.S. even has an official Department of the Treasury, the part of the executive branch that prints money and collects taxes.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

treasury Treasury treasuries

However, in addition to the overall cost to the US treasury, the latest offer from the US president may raise legal questions.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

The finance ministry is providing the bulk of the funding through the issuance of special treasury bonds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

The billionaire investor, who worked with the treasury secretary at Soros Fund Management, voiced his disapproval of Bessent’s tactics in a strongly-worded oped published in the Wall Street Journal Monday.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

Benna, then a corporate benefits consultant, brought what he called his “aggressive interpretation” of section 401 to treasury officials, who took his suggestions on board.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

“The Iron Rod is not in the treasury, Your Majesty,” one of the guards said.

From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin

Treasury yields rose in Asian trade on Monday as yet another setback in efforts to resolve the Middle East conflict pushed oil prices higher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The pact was originally due to expire in November but both sides have agreed to extend it until January 10, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

Treasury yields hovered close to their recent multiyear highs, with the 10-year Treasury yield up 3 basis points at 5.210%, according to Tradeweb.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note recently surged past 5% to hit fresh 19-year highs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

On a handful of index cards related to the FBI, she jotted short notes warning that the agency’s claims were exaggerated and that the Coast Guard and the Treasury knew the truth.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

“And treasuries are at the front of that line because of their specialness, because of their importance to the financial system.”

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

What we’re seeing now is like a silent IPO: early, oversized holders distributing to a much broader base of buyers who came in through ETFs, brokerages and corporate treasuries.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 17, 2025

The frenzy around crypto treasuries further boosted token prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2025

The activity implied that treasuries may have lost their glow, or that the stock market collapse had produced untenable losses among Wall Street traders.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2025

The shafts ran down by many slopes and spiral stairs to caverns far under; there Saruman had treasuries, store-houses, armouries, smithies, and great furnaces.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Related Words

• bank
• coffer
• exchequer