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treasure

A2
Common

Pronunciation

UK

  • /trˈɛʒə/

US

  • /ˈtrɛʒər/

Meanings

Noun

  1. valuable objects, money, or riches

  2. a person or thing considered especially precious or admirable

Verb

  1. to value or cherish someone or something deeply

Beyond the definition

It is not just gold in a pirate chest. It can mean money, jewels, or other valuable things, but it can also mean anything a person cares about deeply. A grandmother's handwritten recipe book can be as special as a box full of diamonds. When people talk about lost treasure, they often mean more than the objects themselves; they also mean the story, mystery, and history around them. You can also "treasure" a friendship, a memory, or a quiet moment with people you love. The word comes from Old French tresor, which meant stored wealth.

Examples

  1. 1

    Museum valuables

    The museum keeps its most valuable treasures in a climate-controlled room.

  2. 2

    Personal value

    For her, an hour of quiet in the morning is a real treasure.

  3. 3

    Family memories

    The old photo album is one of his family’s greatest treasures.

  4. 4

    Rich collection

    Fans were excited when the archive released a treasure trove of old interviews.

    • Phrasetreasure trove

      a large collection of valuable or interesting things

More examples
  1. 5

    Keepsakes

    I still treasure the letters my grandmother wrote to me.

  2. 6

    Family time

    After moving abroad, he learned to treasure weekends with his parents.

  3. 7

    Special opportunity

    She knows this chance won’t come again, so she treasures every minute of it.

See also

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

Used with (collocations)

  • buried treasure
  • treasure chest
  • hidden treasure
  • treasure hunt

Word family

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Forms and spellings

4 forms open this card.

Main spelling

  • treasurenounverb

Forms

  • treasurespluralnounverb
  • treasuredpast tenseverbnoun
  • treasuring-ing formverbnoun