# Usage of "trove" as a noun

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-trove-as-a-noun/134710>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 31, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-trove-as-a-noun/134710 "2002-10-31T15:12:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-trove-as-a-noun/134710/1 "2002-10-31T15:12:51Z")

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Is it considered correct these days to use “trove” as a noun, to mean a hoard of valuable items?

I remember I used to imagine that “a trove” was a name for a type of treasure chest or something, before learning that it’s actually an adjective meaning “found”, so treasure-trove means “found treasure”. (The Old French legal term was _tresor trové_, from the verb _trover_, spelt _trouver_ in modern French.)

But, of course, language changes, and the use of “a trove of something” seems to be widespread. Should I use it or change it to something else?

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**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-trove-as-a-noun/134710/2 "2002-10-31T15:32:13Z")

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Your usage seems fine, if Webster’s is any indication (and it usually is).

> [@](#):
>
> Main Entry: treasure trove  
> Pronunciation: -"trOv  
> Function: noun  
> Etymology: Anglo-French tresor trové, literally, found treasure  
> Date: 1523  
> 1 : treasure that anyone finds; specifically : gold or silver in the form of money, plate, or bullion which is found hidden and whose ownership is not known  
> \*\*2 : a valuable discovery, resource, or collection \*\*

(note: the def. of “trove” indicated that it was simply short for “treasure trove”)

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-trove-as-a-noun/134710/3 "2002-10-31T17:44:21Z")

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Note that is parallels “find”. Both a verb and a noun. “That’s a nice garage sale find you got there Fred.”