gild

1 of 4

verb

gilded ˈgil-dəd How to pronounce gild (audio) or gilt ˈgilt How to pronounce gild (audio) ; gilding
Synonyms of gildnext

transitive verb

1
: to overlay with or as if with a thin covering of gold
2
a
: to give money to
b
: to give an attractive but often deceptive appearance to
was hired to gild the company's image
c
archaic : to make bloody
gilder noun
see also:

gild

2 of 4

noun (1)

less common spelling of guild

1
: an association of people with similar interests or pursuits
especially : a medieval association of merchants or craftsmen
2
: a group of organisms that use the same ecological resource in a similar way
a feeding guild

gilder

3 of 4

noun (2)

gil·​der
ˈgil(d)ə(r)
plural -s
dialectal, England
: snare
especially : one made of horsehair and used to catch birds

gilder

4 of 4

noun (3)

gild·​er
ˈgildə(r)
plural -s
: one that gilds
especially : one whose occupation is to overlay with gold or gilt

Examples of gild in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
For a president enamored with the gilded and the grand, the exterior of this fair is surprisingly austere. Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026 Energy policy and welfare reform need to be addressed to reduce the UK gilt yield premia, unlock funds for growth and ultimately attract capital flows back into the UK. Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 22 June 2026
Noun
Wario’s gilds the hoagie roll with tomato butter and a ginger-soy drizzle. Jed Portman, Midwest Living, 25 May 2026 Damaged gilds the lily, casting-wise, with John Hannah, delivering sterling supporting work as a chief suspect whose alibi would seem to clear him. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024 See All Example Sentences for gild

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (3)

Middle English, from Old English gyldan; akin to Old English gold gold

Noun (2)

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect gilder trap, Old Norse gildra, gildri; akin to Old Norse gilja to entice, Old Swedish gjælskap lewdness and perhaps to Greek thelein to wish, Old Slavic z̆elěti to desire

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gild was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gild.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gild. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

gild

1 of 2 verb
gilded ˈgil-dəd How to pronounce gild (audio) or gilt ˈgilt How to pronounce gild (audio) ; gilding
: to cover with or as if with a coating of gold
gilder noun

gild

2 of 2

variant of guild

More from Merriam-Webster on gild

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster