gold leaf

noun

: an extremely thin sheet of gold that is used especially for gilding

Examples of gold leaf in a Sentence

a frame covered with gold leaf
Recent Examples on the Web Draw a design on an egg with a pencil and gold leaf glue, then apply a sheet of gold leaf over the glue. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 Mar. 2024 The statue’s body is made from a mixture of resin, polyurethane and marble powder, while the cloth tunic is made from gold leaf and plaster. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024 Perhaps used as the bottom of a drinking glass, the fragile artifact features a gold leaf design encased by clear glass on both sides. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023 An ornate Chippendale mirror, adorned with an acanthus motif and bathed in antique gold leaf, hearkens back to the Rococo era of the 18th century, while a chandelier inspired by cascading palm leaves introduces a contemporary flair. Hugh Garvey, Sunset Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023 The surfaces are sometimes partly painted, or covered in gold leaf. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023 The four-tier wedding cake was entirely covered with edible gold leaf. Ana Calderone, Peoplemag, 5 Jan. 2024 But its ruins remained undiscovered until recently, when archaeologists conducting excavations ahead of construction of a new hotel in Rome found walls adorned with gold leaf, African marble columns, cooking pots, bronze amulets and fragments of musical instruments. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023 The gold leaf and the grandiose nudity signal to me a certain yesteryear—that of old, stately Europe. Julian Bell, The New York Review of Books, 26 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gold leaf.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gold leaf was circa 1741

Dictionary Entries Near gold leaf

Cite this Entry

“Gold leaf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gold%20leaf. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gold leaf

noun
: a very thin sheet of gold used especially for gilding

More from Merriam-Webster on gold leaf

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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