treasure

[trezh-er]

noun

1. wealth or riches stored or accumulated, especially in the form of precious metals, money, jewels, or plate.

   Synonyms: hoard

2. wealth, rich materials, or valuable things.

3. any thing or person greatly valued or highly prized.

   This book was his chief treasure.

verb (used with object)

treasured, treasuring 

1. to retain carefully or keep in store, as in the mind.

2. to regard or treat as precious; cherish.

   Synonyms: esteem, value

3. to put away for security or future use, as money.

   Synonyms: hoard

treasure

/ ˈtrɛʒə /

noun

1. wealth and riches, usually hoarded, esp in the form of money, precious metals, or gems

2. a thing or person that is highly prized or valued

verb

1. to prize highly as valuable, rare, or costly

2. to store up and save; hoard

Other Word Forms

• treasureless adjective
• treasurable adjective
• untreasurable adjective
• untreasured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of treasure¹

First recorded in 1125–75; (for the noun) Middle English tresor, from Old French, from Gallo-Romance trēsaurus (unrecorded), from Latin thēsaurus “storehouse, hoard” ( thesaurus ); verb derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of treasure¹

C12: from Old French tresor , from Latin thēsaurus anything hoarded, from Greek thēsauros

Example Sentences

Lowering a curtain on comedy will not only dim one of our country’s most treasured cultural forms, but also accelerate the dark turn of American democracy.

From Los Angeles Times

The bracelet's theft came weeks before the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in nearby Giza, where the famous treasures of King Tutankhamun's tomb have been transferred.

From BBC

The bracelet's disappearance comes six weeks before the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in nearby Giza, where the world renowned treasures of King Tutankhamun's tomb have been transferred and will go on display.

From BBC

“I treasure my experience working with him, which was also an introduction to a great filmmaker with a true artistic vision of an American cinema that could be intelligent, original and politically provocative,” Fiennes said.

From Los Angeles Times

Watch these and then keep digging for treasure.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bounty 
• cache 
• cash 
• gem 
• gold 
• jewel 
• money 
• prize 
• reserve 
• riches 
• valuable 
• wealth