Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

treasure

American  
[trezh-er] / ˈtrɛʒ ər /

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 British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

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

  2. to store up and save; hoard

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

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

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” ( thesaurus ); verb derivative of the noun

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.

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 Literature

Cobain’s Fender was only one of the music history treasures nestled in Christie’s gallery.

From Los Angeles Times

The award was presented by actor Woody Harrelson, who lauded Ford’s varied achievements and called him a “timeless American treasure.”

From Los Angeles Times

But before Petrović could continue his dream of exploring Mali's ancient treasures, his trip took an unexpected turn.

From BBC

"Conversely, when brides were familiar with the story of the dress, like with a hand-me-down, they were far more positive about it and treated it more like treasure than a cursed item."

From BBC

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.