treasury

noun

trea·​sury ˈtre-zh(ə-)rē 

ˈtrā-

plural treasuries

1

a

: a place in which stores of wealth are kept

b

: the place of deposit and disbursement of collected funds

especially : one where public revenues are deposited, kept, and disbursed

c

: funds kept in such a depository

2

Treasury

a

: a governmental department in charge of finances and especially the collection, management, and expenditure of public revenues

b

: the building in which the business of such a governmental department is transacted

3

Treasury plural also Treasurys : a government security (such as a note or bill) issued by the Treasury

4

: a repository for treasures

a treasury of poems

5

obsolete : treasure

Examples of treasury in a Sentence

A government official has been accused of stealing from the nation's treasury.

The fees are deposited into the state's treasury.

A part of the nation's treasury is spent on space exploration.

The author has collected a treasury of facts and lore about horses.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Turkish city is showcased in the teaser which illustrates the first part of the Season 3 logline as Peter (Basso) tracks down the fugitive treasury agent (Sharma) at the Beşiktaş Stadium in Istanbul. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 4 Dec. 2025

The latter include Sebastian Bea, a former longtime BlackRock executive and Olympic rower, who is now President of a digital asset treasury called ReserveOne. —Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025

Alexander said that these digital asset treasury firms may also begin to diversify their holdings into non-crypto assets too. —Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 2 Dec. 2025

Much of Goethe’s time was spent putting out fires—literally, in the villages, and figuratively in the overspent treasury, the understaffed university, and the collapsing mines. —Merve Emre, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tresorie, from Anglo-French, from tresor treasure

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing treasury

• sub-treasury
• treasury note
• treasury of merits
• treasury stock

Kids Definition

treasury

noun

trea·​sury ˈtrezh-(ə-)rē 

ˈtrāzh-

plural treasuries

1

a

: a place in which stores of wealth are kept

b

: the place where collected funds are stored and paid out

2

capitalized : a government department in charge of finances

Legal Definition

treasury

noun

trea·​sury ˈtre-zhə-rē, ˈtrā- 

plural treasuries

1

a

: a place in which stores of wealth are kept

b

: the place of deposit and disbursement of collected funds

especially : one where public revenues are deposited, kept, and disbursed

c

: funds kept in such a depository

2

capitalized

a

: a governmental department in charge of finances and especially the collection, management, and expenditure of public revenues

b

: the building in which the business of such a governmental department is transacted

3

capitalized : a government security (as a note or bill) issued by the Treasury