treasury

Where does the word "treasury" come from? It comes from Greek thēsaurós, passing through Latin and Anglo-Norman before entering English (1300s).

Treasury’s story begins in Greek: thēsaurós meant “store, treasure house.” A store; at Delphi, cities built small temple-like 'treasuries' for their offerings, such as the Athenian Treasury of about 490 BC. By classical, the word had taken hold in Latin as thesaurus. Borrowed from Greek for a hoard; centuries later, in 1852, Peter Mark Roget chose it as the title of his word-finder. From there it passed into Anglo-Norman as tresorie by 1100s. Via Old French tresor; the Norman kings kept their treasure at Winchester, and the Exchequer's accounting grew under Henry I. It reached English by 1300s as treasury. Britain's Prime Minister has formally been First Lord of the Treasury since Robert Walpole in 1721. Today, treasury means the funds of a state or institution; the department that manages them.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient thēsaurós "store, treasure house", a store; at Delphi, cities built small temple-like 'treasuries' for their offerings, such as the Athenian Treasury of about 490 BC.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · classical thesaurus "hoard, treasure", borrowed from Greek for a hoard; centuries later, in 1852, Peter Mark Roget chose it as the title of his word-finder.
3. Stage 3 · Anglo-Norman · 1100s tresorie "treasure store", via Old French tresor; the Norman kings kept their treasure at Winchester, and the Exchequer's accounting grew under Henry I.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s treasury "government finance department", Britain's Prime Minister has formally been First Lord of the Treasury since Robert Walpole in 1721.