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

• treasurable adjective
• treasureless 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

Inside, a treasure trove awaited: Exclusive merch hung on the walls, bins with posters lined the floors, and bucket hats were stacked on shelves.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr Tice said: "It is negligent not to even try to extract the energy treasure that can improve our economy, grow the economy, make people better off."

From BBC

Del Toro is one of his generation's most beloved directors, treasured in the industry for his own love of cinema and his ambition for what it can do.

From BBC

He treasures that trait even as he has hidden it beneath armor to avoid “being too badly mauled by the vicissitudes of life.”

From Los Angeles Times

One Piece is a long-running series of comics and an animated programme, in which a pirate boy battles rivals while searching for treasure known as "One Piece".

From BBC

Related Words

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