treasure

1 of 2

noun

trea·​sure ˈtre-zhər  ˈtrā- 

1

a(1)

: wealth (such as money, jewels, or precious metals) stored up or hoarded

buried treasure

(2)

: wealth of any kind or in any form : riches

b

: a store of money in reserve

2

: something of great worth or value

also : a person esteemed as rare or precious

3

: a collection of precious things

treasure

2 of 2

verb

treasured; treasuring ˈtre-zh(ə-)riŋ 

ˈtrā-

transitive verb

1

: to hold or keep as precious : cherish, prize

she treasured those memories

2

: to collect and store up (something of value) for future use : hoard

Synonyms

Noun

• boast
• credit
• crown jewel
• glory
• honor
• jewel
• pride
• trophy

Verb

• appreciate
• cherish
• love
• prize
• value

Choose the Right Synonym for treasure

appreciate, value, prize, treasure, cherish mean to hold in high estimation.

appreciate often connotes sufficient understanding to enjoy or admire a thing's excellence.

appreciates fine wine

value implies rating a thing highly for its intrinsic worth.

values our friendship

prize implies taking a deep pride in something one possesses.

Americans prize their freedom

treasure emphasizes jealously safeguarding something considered precious.

a treasured memento

cherish implies a special love and care for something.

cherishes her children above all

Examples of treasure in a Sentence

Noun

a legend about the pirates' buried treasure

Central Park is one of New York City's many treasures.

Grandmother's nurse has been a real treasure.

Verb

He treasures that autographed baseball.

My grandmother's ring is my most treasured possession.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Madrid’s cultural treasures stand toe-to-toe with the City of Lights and London and Rome and Amsterdam, but its tourist crowds are only a fraction of those places. —Chadd Scott, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

Among the artworks expected to be housed there are important Cubist treasures donated to the Met by Leonard Lauder in 2013. —Alex Greenberger For Artnews, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2024

Verb

Nearly 25 years after the show first premiered, this show is still watched and re-watched regularly and these characters are deeply treasured by fans all around the world. —Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2024

Add a Pop of Turquoise Turquoise, a blue-green gemstone treasured for centuries, adds a welcome pop to any wardrobe — from a crisp white tee to a little black dress. —Kate Donnelly, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tresor, from Anglo-French, from Latin thesaurus — more at thesaurus

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing treasure

• national treasure
• treasure chest
• treasure house
• treasure hunt
• treasure trove

Kids Definition

treasure

1 of 2 noun

trea·​sure ˈtrezh-ər  ˈtrāzh- 

1

: wealth (as money, jewels, or precious metals) stored up or held in reserve

2

: someone or something that is valued highly

treasure

2 of 2 verb

treasured; treasuring -(ə-)riŋ 

: to value highly : cherish

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tresor "treasure," from early French tresor (same meaning), from Latin thesaurus "treasure, collection" — related to thesaurus

Legal Definition

treasure

noun

trea·​sure

: personal property that is hidden in something else for an extended period and whose owner cannot be determined