treasure trove

noun

1

: treasure that anyone finds

specifically : gold or silver in the form of money, plate, or bullion which is found hidden and whose ownership is not known

2

: a valuable discovery, resource, or collection

Synonyms

• argosy
• cornucopia
• gold mine
• mine
• mother lode
• wellspring

Examples of treasure trove in a Sentence

Divers found a treasure trove of gold and silver in the wreckage of a ship that sank hundreds of years ago.

the ancient city, having been almost perfectly preserved under volcanic ash for nearly 2,000 years, is proving to be a treasure trove of archaeological information

Recent Examples on the Web

This seemingly obvious passcode opened the door to a treasure trove of evidence. —Lars Daniel, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

Join National Park Night Programming Many destinations, particularly those with dark skies, offer after-dark tours to help visitors appreciate their astronomical treasure troves. —Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2024

This treasure trove houses seasonal clothes like warm puffer jackets, comfy leggings, and hoodies going for hard-to-beat prices. —Nicol Natale, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024

Cops got a search warrant and found a treasure trove of drugs, guns and ammo, including a duffel bag containing an AK-47 rifle and six handguns, all loaded, along with hundreds of bullets; plus a safe with nearly 2 kilos of cocaine, $107,000 cash and three handgun magazines. —John Annese, New York Daily News, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French tresor trové, literally, found treasure

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

treasure trove

noun

-ˌtrōv

1

: treasure of unknown ownership found buried or hidden

2

: a valuable discovery

Legal Definition

treasure trove

noun

-ˈtrōv

: treasure that anyone finds

specifically : gold or silver in the form of money, plate, or bullion that is found hidden and whose ownership is not known

Note: State law determines who is entitled to a treasure trove.