gilded

adjective

gild·​ed ˈgil-dəd 

1

: covered or tinged with gold or a golden color

gilded icons

The reception room, just off the entryway, features colorful wall and ceiling decorations and a gilded overmantel mirror and matching cornices.

—Stephen May

2

: having a background of wealth and luxury : prosperous, luxurious

Emily Post was raised among New York's gilded elite.

—Susan Berfield

… despite the upper-crust background and the gilded résumé, Bonham Carter is a pretty modern chick off stage.

—Elizabeth Gleick

Examples of gilded in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Think black-and-white marble floors, gilded moldings, and big, fresh flower arrangements. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Feb. 2026

A little cardigan with gilded embroidery, some roomy corduroy trousers, and fabulously frumpy silk frocks. —José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026

Frie recommends layering in reflective and light-balancing elements, noting that warm metallics, such as brass fixtures or gilded mirrors—along with thoughtful lighting, are essential. —Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026

Melania, this documentary makes perfectly clear, likes her gilded cage just fine. —Katha Pollitt, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of gild entry 1

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gilded

• builded