gild

UK: /ˈgɪld/ US: /gɪld/ ,(gild)

Inflections of 'gild' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

gilds

v 3rd person singular

gilding

v pres p

gilded

v past

gilt

v past (Rare)

gilded

v past p

gilt

v past p (Rare)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

gild¹ /gɪld/   v. [~ + object] , gild•ed or gilt/gɪlt/  gild•ing. 

1. to coat with gold, gold leaf, or a gold-colored substance.

Idioms

2. Idioms gild the lily, to add unnecessary ornamental details to something already of great beauty.

gild•er, n. [countable]
gild•ing, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

gild¹  (gild), v.t., gild•ed or gilt, gild•ing. 

1. to coat with gold, gold leaf, or a gold-colored substance.
2. to give a bright, pleasing, or specious aspect to.
3. [Archaic.] to make red, as with blood.
4. Idioms gild the lily, to add unnecessary ornamentation, a special feature, etc., in an attempt to improve something that is already complete, satisfactory, or ideal:
   After that wonderful meal, serving a fancy dessert would be gilding the lily.

• 1300–50; Middle English gilden, Old English -gyldan; akin to gold

gild′a•ble, adj. 

gild²  (gild), n. 

1. World History guild.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gild / ɡɪld/ verb (gilds, gilding, gilded, gilt / ɡɪlt/)(transitive)

1. to cover with or as if with gold
2. gild the lily ⇒ to adorn unnecessarily something already beautiful
3. to praise someone inordinately
4. to give a falsely attractive or valuable appearance to

Etymology: Old English gyldan, from gold gold; related to Old Norse gylla, Middle High German vergülden

ˈgilder noun

gild / ɡɪld/ noun

1. a variant spelling of guild2

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

guild or gild /gɪld/   n. [countable]

1. an organization of persons with related interests, goals, or jobs, etc., esp. one formed for mutual aid or protection:
   a musicians' guild.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

guild  (gild), n. 

1. an organization of persons with related interests, goals, etc., esp. one formed for mutual aid or protection.
2. World History any of various medieval associations, as of merchants or artisans, organized to maintain standards and to protect the interests of its members, and that sometimes constituted a local governing body.
3. [Bot.] a group of plants, as parasites, having a similar habit of growth and nutrition.

Also, gild. 

• Old Norse gildi guild, payment; replacing Old English gegyld guild; akin to German Geld money, Gothic -gild tax
• Middle English gild(e) bef. 1000

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

guild, gild / ɡɪld/ noun

1. an organization, club, or fellowship
2. (esp in medieval Europe) an association of men sharing the same interests, such as merchants or artisans: formed for mutual aid and protection and to maintain craft standards or pursue some other purpose such as communal worship

Etymology: 14th Century: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse gjald payment, gildi guild; related to Old English gield offering, Old High German gelt money