What does treasurable mean?
Treasurable is an uncommon formal adjective meaning worthy of being treasured. It describes something regarded as exceptionally valuable, cherished, or important, often because of its emotional, historical, or personal associations rather than its market price. The word is related in meaning to prized and cherished, but it focuses on deserving affection or preservation: a gift may be treasurable because it represents a relationship, while a document may be treasurable for its historical importance. Treasurable is more emphatic and literary than valuable and can imply that something deserves a place among a person's most meaningful possessions or memories. Although usually encountered in careful prose, it is understandable in ordinary English and remains in formal use. Its unusual form also makes it especially effective when the subject is not merely useful or expensive, but genuinely cherished. The word is normally used attributively before a noun, as in “treasurable memories,” and its comparative and superlative forms are “more treasurable” and “most treasurable.”
adjectiveWorthy of being treasured; valuable or highly esteemed.
- Worthy of being treasured; regarded as valuable, cherished, or highly esteemed.
"The old ring was treasurable not for its monetary worth, but for the memories attached to it."
"The old ring was treasurable not for its monetary worth, but for the memories attached to it."
"Her collection of letters seemed treasurable even before its historical importance was understood."
Treasurable compresses an entire emotional argument into three syllables: some things are not merely valuable, but worthy of being kept close.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does treasurable come from?
Treasurable was formed in modern English from treasure and the suffix -able, meaning “capable of being” or “worthy of being.” Treasure ultimately comes through Old French from Latin thesaurus, a borrowing of Greek thēsauros, meaning a store or repository of valuables. The resulting adjective thus literally conveys the idea of something deserving to be treasured.
Related word forms
How treasurable is actually used
Uncommon and somewhat literary. It often suggests profound personal or historical importance rather than simple financial value.