DictionaryAI

treat

TREET/tɹiːt/

Verbtreats, treating, treated

Noun pluraltreats

13 meanings of treat

Practice

  1. 1
    deal withverbtransitive
    To act toward a person or thing in a certain way.

    Like acting differently toward a friend than toward a stranger.

    Please treat your classmates with kindness.

    She treats every customer with respect.

    UsageSay treat someone with respect or treat someone like a friend.

    Similaruse

  2. 2
    medical careverbtransitive
    To give medical care to a sick or hurt person or animal, or try to make an illness or injury better.

    Like a mechanic fixing a broken car, but for a person's body.

    Doctors treat hundreds of patients each week.

    The nurse treated his burn right away.

    UsageSay a doctor treats someone for an illness, with medicine.

    Similarmanage

  3. 3
    snacknouncountable
    A small tasty thing to eat, like a sweet, or a snack given to a pet as a reward.

    Like a cookie you eat just because it tastes good.

    She packed a sweet treat in his lunchbox.

    Warm cookies are my favorite treat.

  4. 4
    verbtransitive or intransitive
    To buy or give someone something nice, like a meal or a trip, often paying for it yourself.

    Like being the person who pays so your friends don't have to.

    I'll treat you to lunch for your birthday.

    Grandpa treated us all to ice cream.

    UsageSay treat someone to something: treat a friend to lunch.

  5. 5
    process (chemical)verbtransitive
    To use a chemical, or a process like heating, to change something in a useful way.

    Like rubbing oil on a wooden table to protect it.

    Workers treat the wood so it lasts longer outdoors.

    They treated the water to make it safe to drink.

    Similarprocess

  6. 6
    a delightnouncountable
    Something special that gives you a lot of joy.

    Like finding money in an old coat pocket: a happy surprise.

    Getting the afternoon off was a real treat.

    Her surprise visit was such a treat for everyone.

    UsagePeople often say a real treat or what a treat.

    Similarpleasure, delight, joy, thrill, surprise

  7. 7
    nouncountable
    Something fun or tasty that someone gives or pays for so others can enjoy it.

    Like when someone buys you ice cream just to make your day nicer.

    Put your wallet away; lunch is my treat.

    My uncle paid for dinner as a treat.

    UsageSay It's my treat when you will pay for everyone.

  8. 8
    discuss (topic)verbtransitive
    To write or talk about a subject in a certain way.

    Like choosing what angle to take when telling a story.

    Few writers treat the topic so honestly.

    Her essay treated the subject from a new angle.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of treat apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It came from an old French word and before that from the Latin word 'tractāre', meaning 'to manage' or 'to pull'.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts