Meanings
plural national treasures
- A place, object, or person that is deemed to be of value to an entire nation, usually because of cultural significance.
But drinking in the bath always feels slightly performative, as though I'm auditioning for the role of beloved boozy singleton and UK national treasure, Bridget Jones.
2025 June 7, Jo Ellison, “Breakfast in bath—yes or eurgh?”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 211 more example
[Marcel] Somerville was called a “national treasure” during the third season. But when he cheated on his Love Island partner, Gabby Allen, after leaving the villa, the U.K. media turned on him.
2022 June 2, Anna Peele, “Inside ‘Love Island,’ From the Tragic Suicide Deaths to New Mental Health Protocols”, in Vanity Fair
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 國寶 /国宝
- 國寶 /国宝 (guóbǎo)something deemed to be of value to an entire nation
Danish nationalskat, nationalskjald
- nationalskatsomething deemed to be of value to an entire nation
- nationalskjaldsomething deemed to be of value to an entire nation
Finnish kansallisaarre, kansallisomaisuus
- kansallisaarresomething deemed to be of value to an entire nation
- kansallisomaisuussomething deemed to be of value to an entire nation
French trésor national
- trésor nationalsomething deemed to be of value to an entire nation
German nationaler Schatz
- nationaler Schatzsomething deemed to be of value to an entire nation
Japanese 国宝
- 国宝 (kokuhō)something deemed to be of value to an entire nation
Korean 국보
- 국보 (gukbo)something deemed to be of value to an entire nation
Russian национа́льное достоя́ние, достоя́ние наро́да
- национа́льное достоя́ние (nacionálʹnoje dostojánije)something deemed to be of value to an entire nation
- достоя́ние наро́да (dostojánije naróda)something deemed to be of value to an entire nation
- национа́льное сокро́вище (nacionálʹnoje sokróvišče)something deemed to be of value to an entire nation
Spanish tesoro nacional
- tesoro nacionalsomething deemed to be of value to an entire nation
Swedish nationalklenod
- nationalklenodsomething deemed to be of value to an entire nation
Cite this entry
national treasure. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/national%20treasure
“national treasure.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/national%20treasure. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “national treasure,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/national%20treasure.
Source: national treasure on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.