treasure

treasure — noun

1. gold, jewels, and other valuable objects that people hide or keep in a safe plac

1.nounB1
Definition

gold, jewels, and other valuable objects that people hide or keep in a safe place because they are worth a great deal of money.

Example

The old map showed where the pirates had hidden their treasure somewhere on the island.

collocation: hidden treasure / treasure map

Tunde found a Roman treasure of gold coins and silver jewellery inside a broken clay pot.

Common collocations
  • hidden treasure
  • buried treasure
  • sunken treasure
  • treasure chest
  • treasure map
  • treasure hunt
  • treasure trove
Synonyms
  • wealth

    broader — includes all financial assets and property, not just stored valuables

  • fortune

    focuses on a large amount of money, often inherited or suddenly gained

  • riches

    more literary; suggests abundant valuables beyond what is needed

Antonyms
  • trash

    items with no value or worth

Grammar Patterns

treasure of [precious items]

[adjective] treasure

Usage Note

Often used as an uncountable mass noun (buried treasure) or a countable noun (a treasure of gold rings). Frequently appears in stories about discovery, piracy, and archaeology.

Common Mistakes

They found a treasure of gold.
They found a treasure of gold coins.' or 'They found buried treasure.
When describing the material itself, 'treasure' is usually uncountable; use a countable form when referring to a collection of specific items.

2. an object of great beauty, historical importance, or personal meaning that peopl

2.nounB1
Definition

an object of great beauty, historical importance, or personal meaning that people admire and want to own or protect.

Example

The library keeps ancient handwritten manuscripts as national treasures that must be protected from damp and light.

collocation: national treasure

Noa bought a small painting at a street market that later turned out to be a real treasure worth thousands.

Common collocations
  • national treasure
  • cultural treasure
  • artistic treasure
  • family treasure
  • literary treasure
Synonyms
  • gem

    informal; something especially beautiful or fine within its category

  • masterpiece

    an artwork or creation of outstanding skill, narrower than treasure

Antonyms
  • junk

    old or unwanted objects with little value

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] treasure

[possessive] treasure

Usage Note

Usually countable. Commonly paired with adjectives like national, cultural, artistic, or family to describe the type of value the object holds.

3. someone so good at their work or so kind that other people feel fortunate to kno

3.nounB2
Definition

someone so good at their work or so kind that other people feel fortunate to know them.

Example

Our new assistant, Omar, is an absolute treasure — he remembers every detail without anyone telling him twice.

collocation: absolute treasure (informal compliment)

Lukas is a treasure to the whole team because he always finds simple solutions to impossible problems.

Common collocations
  • absolute treasure
  • real treasure
  • true treasure
Synonyms
  • gem

    informal, similar meaning — a wonderfully helpful or kind person

  • angel

    emphasises kindness and selflessness more than skill

Antonyms
  • nuisance

    someone who causes trouble or annoyance

Grammar Patterns

be a treasure

[possessive] treasure

Usage Note

Always singular when referring to a person. Common in British English as an informal compliment. The phrase is often used in the workplace or among friends to express sincere gratitude or appreciation.

Common Mistakes

She is a treasures to the team.
She is a treasure to the team.
'Treasure' stays singular even when the person being described is excellent in many ways.

4. a warm, caring word used when speaking directly to someone you feel great affect

4.nounB2
Definition

a warm, caring word used when speaking directly to someone you feel great affection for, especially a young child.

Example

"Come here, my little treasure, and let me give you a big hug," said Aunt Rosa.

used as a term of address in direct speech

"Don't you worry, treasure — Mummy will be home again before you finish your dinner," Constanza said softly.

Common collocations
  • my treasure
  • little treasure
Synonyms
  • sweetheart

    more common and gender-neutral in American and British English

  • darling

    similar warmth, used across all ages

Grammar Patterns

my [little] treasure

used in direct speech

Usage Note

Always singular. Used as a direct term of address, similar to sweetheart, darling, or love. Most common in British English when speaking to children, but can also be used between romantic partners.

treasure — verb

Word family

  • treasurer
    nounB2
  • treasury
    nounB2
  • treasured
    adjectiveB2
  • treasureless
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Treasure, wealth, fortune, and riches all refer to valuable possessions, but they differ in scope and tone. Treasure specifically describes a collection of precious items such as gold, jewels, or works of art that are often hidden, stored, or discovered — it carries an adventurous or romantic quality. Wealth is the broadest term, covering all forms of financial assets, property, and resources a person or group owns. Fortune focuses on a large amount of money, especially one that is accumulated over time or received unexpectedly through inheritance. Riches is more literary and emotional, suggesting abundant wealth that goes beyond what is needed for a comfortable life. For example: 'The divers found a sunken treasure off the coast of Mozambique.' but 'She built her wealth through decades of careful investing.' 'He inherited a large fortune from his grandmother.' and 'The riches of the ancient kingdom were described in travellers' tales.'

wealth ↗fortune ↗riches

Common collocations

Nouns

  • treasure chest
  • treasure hunt
  • treasure map
  • treasure trove

Phrases

  • hidden treasure
  • buried treasure

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Treasure entered English through Old French tresor, which came from Latin thesaurus (storehouse, hoard). The Latin word was borrowed from Greek thēsauros, meaning a store or treasury. The original sense was a place where valuables are kept, which later shifted to the valuables themselves. The verb sense of 'to cherish or value greatly' developed in the 1500s.