gild

1 of 3

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 3

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

guild

3 of 3

noun (2)

variants or less commonly gild
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
guildship noun

Examples of gild in a Sentence

Noun (2) after his apprenticeship, he was able to join the stonemasons' guild
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
Noun
Participants also include national film bodies, representing a range of sales, production and distribution companies, as well as industry associations and guilds. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 26 June 2026 The guild received a record number of submissions for its 13th annual celebration of outstanding creative visual contributions of location professionals in contemporary and period films and TV shows, along with commercials and film commissions from around the world. Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gild

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun (2)

Middle English gilde, from Old Norse gildi payment, guild; akin to Old English gield tribute, guild — more at geld

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

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