guild

noun

ˈgild 

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

ˈgil(d)-ˌship 

noun

Synonyms

• association
• board
• brotherhood
• chamber
• club
• college
• congress
• consortium
• council
• fellowship
• fraternity
• institute
• institution
• league
• order
• organization
• society
• sodality

Examples of guild in a Sentence

after his apprenticeship, he was able to join the stonemasons' guild

Recent Examples on the Web

The shoot was planned for 2022; however, the production was delayed due to financing amid the pandemic and later, guild strikes. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 2 May 2025

The Video Game Writers Caucus was disbanded at the end of 2021, and the guild’s annual award for Video Game Writing was discontinued in 2019 after ten years. —Simon Abrams, HollywoodReporter, 25 Apr. 2025

Moreover, his Convergence Entertainment Group banner is not a signatory to the guild’s Minimum Basic Agreement, which covers the work of screenwriters. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025

The strike was the second longest strike in the guild’s history at 148 days, tied with the strike in 1960 but below the 153 days that the 1988 strike lasted. —Peter White, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing guild

• guild socialism

Rhymes for guild

• billed
• build
• chilled
• drilled
• filled
• frilled
• gild
• grilled
• killed
• milled
• rilled
• shrilled

Kids Definition

guild

noun

variants also gild

ˈgild

: an association of persons with common interests or aims

especially : an association of merchants or craftsmen in the Middle Ages