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 of treasure trove

• gold mine
• repository
• mother lode
• mine

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

The Rockefellers have amassed quite a treasure trove of opulent jewels over the decades (and beautiful homes to boot). —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 31 Oct. 2025

Social media creators, in particular, represent a treasure trove for AI companies thanks to their vast archives of video content, both published and unpublished. —Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025

Earth's moon is a treasure trove of resources. —Leonard David, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025

There’s a treasure trove of inspiration hiding in your own house. —Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French tresor trové, literally, found treasure

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for treasure trove

• alcove
• mangrove
• clove
• cove
• drove
• rove
• shrove
• stove
• strove
• throve
• wove

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.