treasure
Americannoun
-
wealth or riches stored or accumulated, especially in the form of precious metals, money, jewels, or plate.
- Synonyms:
- hoard
-
wealth, rich materials, or valuable things.
-
any thing or person greatly valued or highly prized.
This book was his chief treasure.
noun
-
wealth and riches, usually hoarded, esp in the form of money, precious metals, or gems
-
a thing or person that is highly prized or valued
verb
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to prize highly as valuable, rare, or costly
-
to store up and save; hoard
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of treasure
First recorded in 1125–75; (for the noun) Middle English tresor, from Old French, from Gallo-Romance trēsaurus (unrecorded), from Latin thēsaurus “storehouse, hoard” ( see thesaurus); verb derivative of the noun
Explanation
Treasure is usually associated with riches — gold, jewels, doubloons — the stuff contained in pirates' treasure chests. However, you can also treasure things with purely sentimental value — like your pet rock or your blankie. The English word treasure comes from the Old French tresor, both meaning "something of great worth." Still, the French tresor sounds so much more luxurious than the English treasure, and that form is the chosen name for an expensive perfume. Worth is relative, though. Going back further, we find that the Latin word for treasury is thesaurus, which is what a book of synonyms is called. Guess the ancients always understood the richness — and worth — of words.
Vocabulary lists containing treasure
Words Every Pirate Should Know
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Mother's Day Words: What Mothers Do
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Treat the grocery store less like a checklist errand and more like a treasure hunt.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
He rejected the idea the business should be seen as a luxury, describing it as a "national treasure" rooted in centuries of regional history that dates back to the Roman times.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
Then they learned of a treasure hunt in Texas, staged by the firm Treasure Games, that included a promised prize of $1 million or the granting of three wishes worth up to $1.2 million.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
What do you think our audience and what do you want to tell your son and other Americans about what you need to know in particular and treasure about that founding?
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
It’s only as we start to work through the contents of the chest that I realize what a treasure trove it is, after all.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
