gold

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
1
: a yellow metallic element that occurs naturally in pure form and is used especially in coins, jewelry, and electronics see Chemical Elements Table
2
a(1)
: gold coins
(2)
: a gold piece
b
: money
3
: a variable color averaging deep yellow
4
: something resembling gold
especially : something valued as the finest of its kind
a heart of gold
5
: a medal awarded as the first prize in a competition : a gold medal

gold

2 of 2

adjective

: qualifying for a gold record
Phrases
go gold
: to have enough sales to qualify for a gold record
the album went gold

Examples of gold in a Sentence

Noun diamonds in a setting of 24-karat gold What is the price of gold?
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The 18k gold alloy, a combination of gold and palladium, looks gray or rose depending on the angle of the light. Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 18 Mar. 2024 On the ground, deep in the Amazon rainforest, an armed Brazilian government agent watches as a dredge used to illegally mine gold from the Yanomami Indigenous Territory erupts into flames – destroyed on orders from the Federal Police. Ana Ionova, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Mar. 2024 Lenny Kravitz broke out a pair of metallic rose gold pants and bug-eyed sunglasses, while Jon Batiste donned a slick red leather suit. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024 All three of those albums went gold, and gold in those days means 500,000 copies. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 The package included a groom by himself on the top of a wedding cake, the number one on a watch, two gold cleats, two dice showing a total of five and a Most Lovable trophy. Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 While a woman walked through a bustling medieval town in what is now Sweden, a gold ring glinted on her finger. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 Simone Biles has worn a lot of gold over her glorious career. Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024 Financially speaking, the wellness industry has finally succeeded where centuries of alchemists failed: turning magnesium into gold. Adam Markovitz, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The mob wife aesthetic—characterized by gold jewelry, conspicuous designer accessories and of course, statement fur coats—has successfully rebranded fur as a symbol of power, boosting interest among young consumers. Shelcy Joseph, Essence, 19 Mar. 2024 Official data showed that China’s gold reserves increased for a 16th-consecutive month, with gold reserves reaching 72.58 million ounces by the end of February, representing a month-on-month increase of 390,000 ounces. Zimo Zhong, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 By aligning himself with TikTok, which is popular with young people, Trump could attract a more youthful demographic to his businesses, including a new line of gold sneakers, and generate support from younger voters, according to China expert and Ohio State University professor Oded Shenkar. Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 In 2024, researchers in central Italy uncovered a cemetery packed with jewelry such as rings, gold necklaces, and amulets, indicating that many of the tombs belonged to some of ancient Rome’s wealthiest elites. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 The gold Dome of the Rock, the center of the Aqsa compound, was barely visible over the Old City walls. Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 And that’s without mentioning her appearance as the star of Phoebe Philo’s second campaign drop last Thursday, in a slinky black turtleneck and gold pendant earrings. Condé Nast, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 Hudgens accessorized her daring look with gold earrings, black heels and hair switched up into high-volume curls. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 The runner-up is a 14-karat solid gold Lego brick that went for $15,000 in 2020. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, going back to Old English, neuter strong noun, going back to Germanic *gulþa-/*gulđa- (with varying accentuation, whence also Old Frisian, Old Saxon, and Old High German gold "gold," Old Norse gull, goll, Gothic gulþ), going back to dialectal Indo-European *ǵhl̥(h3)-to-, with full-grade ablaut *ǵhel(h3)-to- (in Latvian zȩ̀lts "gold," Old Prussian sealtmeno "oriole") and o-grade *ǵhol(h3)-to- (in Slavic *zȍlto, whence Old Church Slavic zlato "gold," Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian zlâto, Polish złoto, Russian zóloto), all derivatives with the adjectival suffix *-to- from Indo-European *ǵhelh3- "yellow, green" — more at yellow entry 1

Note: The formation of a word for "gold" from a *-to- derivative of Indo-European *ǵhelh3- "yellow, green" is peculiar to Germanic, Slavic, and, in part, Baltic. An Indo-Iranian word for "gold" is formed with different suffixation from the same root: *ǵhl̥h3-en-i̯o-, whence Sanskrit híranya- "gold," Avestan zarańiia-. A full display of forms in medieval and modern languages and loans into non-Indo-European languages is contained in the article "Indo-European 'Gold' in Time and Space" by Václav Blažek, Journal of Indo-European Studies, vol. 45, No. 3 (fall/winter 2017), pp. 267-311.

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gold was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near gold

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

gold

noun
ˈgōld
1
: a soft yellow metallic element that is used especially in coins and jewelry see element
2
a
: gold coins
3
: a deep yellow
4
: a medal awarded as the first prize in a competition : a gold medal
gold adjective

Medical Definition

gold

noun
often attributive
: a malleable ductile yellow metallic element that occurs chiefly free or in a few minerals and is used especially in coins, jewelry, and dentures and in the form of its salts (as gold sodium thiomalate) especially in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
symbol Au
see Chemical Elements Table

More from Merriam-Webster on gold

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