treasured

1. 1
   adjective

   Valued highly, especially for personal or sentimental reasons rather than monetary worth.

   Among her treasured possessions was a locket passed down through four generations.

   He kept the worn letters as treasured mementos of his late father.

   Similarvalued, cherished, precious, priceless

   Note

   A participle that has settled into a full adjective, built from treasure plus -ed. Unlike the verb form, it grades: something can be more treasured or the most treasured of all. It sits most comfortably before a noun, as in treasured possessions or treasured mementos. The value it names is usually personal rather than commercial, so it suits keepsakes and memories better than price tags.

2. 2
   verb

   Simple past and past participle of treasure.

   The villagers treasured the old well that had served them for centuries.

   Those photographs were treasured by everyone who remembered the trip.

   Note

   One regular form does both jobs: they treasured the old well, and the well was treasured for centuries. The verb is transitive, so the passive comes naturally. Treasured can also carry the verb's more literal meaning, stored in a safe place, so context decides between prized and kept. An older meaning, to enrich, is obsolete. Before a noun, the participle shades into the adjective of personal value.

Showing meanings only. Show all 2