# trove

/ˈtɹoʊv/ (US) · /tɹˈəʊv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trove
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a valuable collection

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a collection of valuable or useful things that you find together.

For teachers: a collection of valuable or interesting items, often discovered in a single location or source.

- The old library was a trove of information for the young researcher.
- The attic proved to be a veritable trove of family history, containing letters and photographs dating back to the nineteenth century.

Usage: Often appears in the compound 'treasure trove' or as a metaphor for a source of information.

### 2. legal treasure

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

valuable items like gold or silver that were hidden long ago and found later.

For teachers: specifically refers to 'treasure trove' in a legal context: gold, silver, or bullion found hidden in the earth or a private place.

- The farmer discovered a trove of Roman coins while plowing his field.
- Under the current legislation, any trove of precious metals discovered on private land must be reported to the local coroner within fourteen days.

Teaching tip: This technical sense is almost always paired with 'treasure' (treasure trove). Outside of legal contexts, 'trove' is used figuratively for any rich source of items.

## Examples

- The old attic was a treasure trove of family history.
- The newly opened digital archive provides a trove of primary source documents for historians studying the Victorian era.
- While the physical gold was impressive, the real value lay in the trove of ancient manuscripts found alongside the coins, which offered a rare glimpse into lost languages.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.