Treasure Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

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.

But he treasures the tradition, and the record he is leaving behind.

From Barron's

She’s reiterating what she’s read with such fervor that she grips the book not like a story, but like a treasure.

From Salon

The California coast is a public treasure, not a private playground.

From Los Angeles Times

"There are some real treasures to be found," the head of costume workshops at Geneva's Grand Theatre told AFP.

From Barron's

“Think of it as a treasure hunt,” I say, though Emma has a point.

From Literature

Related Words

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

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.