gold

1 of 2

noun

ˈgōld 

plural golds

1

: a yellow metallic element with atomic number 79 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

c

: gold standard sense 1

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

1

: made of or containing gold

a gold ring/watch

a gold mine

2

: having a gold color : golden

gold eyes

an orange and gold cat

a blue shirt with gold stripes

3

: qualifying for a gold record

see also go gold

Synonyms of gold

Noun

• cash
• coin
• money
• currency

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 satisfaction derived from Gulia comes not just from its sound but from the tactile pleasure found in the array of materials, such as natural wood, premium leather, acoustic fabric, and metal accents in stainless steel or gold coating. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 21 Dec. 2025

Junipers grow relatively large, but several varieties hug the ground, producing mounds of spreading silver-blue, green, or gold foliage. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025

Adjective

However, this bodysuit differed from the previous look, with gold details rather than red. —Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025

Klein sending a gold V-neck t-shirt dress down the runway for fall 1991, famously worn by Cindy Crawford, creating an unforgettable moment for the season. —Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025

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

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gold

• as good as gold
• basket-of-gold
• black gold
• fool's gold
• go gold
• going for the gold
• gold coast
• gold-filled
• gold leaf
• gold medal
• gold mine
• gold of pleasure
• gold-plated
• gold record
• gold rush
• gold standard
• heart of gold
• old gold
• pot of gold
• strike gold
• the gold standard
• white gold
• worth one's weight in gold
• Zimbabwe gold

Rhymes for gold

• bold
• bowled
• cold
• doled
• foaled
• fold
• hold
• holed
• mould
• old
• poled
• polled

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

b

: money sense 1a

3

: a deep yellow

4

: a medal awarded as the first prize in a competition : a gold medal

gold adjective

Medical Definition

gold

noun

ˈgōld 

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