gold

noun, often attributive \ ˈgōld \

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

Definition of gold

1 : a yellow malleable ductile metallic element that occurs chiefly free or in a few minerals and is used especially in coins, jewelry, and dentures — see Chemical Elements Table

2 a (1) : gold coins

(2) : a gold piece

b : money

c : gold standard 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

See gold defined for English-language learners

See gold defined for kids

Examples of gold in a Sentence

diamonds in a setting of 24-karat gold
What is the price of gold?

Recent Examples of gold from the Web

After winning the Intermediate A Division at the championships, the Ramona High team was awarded a trophy, and individual participants each received a gold medal.

— julie gallant, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Ramona Winter Guard wins division championship," 18 Apr. 2018
On the clay track behind Whitehall High during Barkley’s senior year, with Rachel Panek holding his starting block, Barkley earned his first gold medal after winning the 100-meter dash in the district championship.

— ben baskin, SI.com, "Face of the NFL? Saquon Barkley Has a Plan," 18 Apr. 2018
Moving home allowed Datsyuk to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics, where Russia won the gold medal in men’s hockey in a tournament in which NHL players did not participate.

— helene st. james, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk re-ups with Russian team," 17 Apr. 2018
In addition to his two All-Star Game appearances, Boozer, 36, won a 2008 Olympic gold medal with Team USA in Beijing.

— jack flemming, latimes.com, "Former NBA star Carlos Boozer finds a taker for Miami mansion," 16 Apr. 2018
From a gold medal at the Commonweath Games to a chance to return to the WNBA, Alaska basketball player Kelsey Griffin is at the top of her game these days.

— beth bragg, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska’s Kelsey Griffin gets a gold medal, and a chance to return to the WNBA," 15 Apr. 2018
Too early to tell Jennie Finch Diagle: The former gold-medal-winning Olympic softball pitcher and All-American at Arizona has done some TV for ESPN and appeared on some reality shows, including being fired from Celebrity Apprentice by Donald Trump.

— thomas o'toole, nicole poell, roxanna scott, USA TODAY, "'Dancing With the Stars' athletes you'll love or hate, from Tonya Harding to Adam Rippon," 13 Apr. 2018
Shani Davis became the first black athlete to win a gold medal in an individual event during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

— evan f. moore, Chicago Reader, "Black hockey players excel on ice despite history of racism, lack of rinks in Chicago," 11 Apr. 2018
Frazier won a gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and became the first boxer to beat Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight title in 1971.

— michael boren, Philly.com, "North Philly street named to honor Joe Frazier," 11 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gold.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of gold

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German gold gold, Old English geolu yellow — more at yellow

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

gold Synonyms

Synonyms

bread [slang], bucks, cash, change, chips, coin, currency, dough, green, jack [slang], legal tender, lucre, money, pelf, tender, wampum;

Related Words

coinage, specie;

paper money, scrip;

banknote, cashier's check, check, draft, money order, note, promissory note;

bill, dollar, greenback;

bankroll, capital, finances, funds, wad, wallet;

mite, peanuts, pittance, shoestring;

bundle, fortune, king's ransom, mint, pile, pot;

opulence, riches, treasure, wealth;

resources, wherewithal;

petty cash, pin money, pocket money, spending money;

gold

adjective

Definition of gold

: qualifying for a gold record

— go gold

: to have enough sales to qualify for a gold record

the album went gold

See gold defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of gold from the Web

Unlike many other altolusso hotel collections, burnishing their brands with gold star inflation, Belmond's mission is to create a familial atmosphere.

— charles curkin, ELLE Decor, "This Gorgeous Hotel In A Renaissance-Era Convent Will Blow You Away," 4 Apr. 2018
Entireworld is the answer to a simpler, possibly more difficult, question, too, that Sternberg, in gold wire-rim glasses and with a splash of gray in his scruff, poses in his office.

— sam schube, GQ, "Scott Sternberg on His New Line, His Exit from Band of Outsiders, and Making Clothes for the Entire World," 4 Apr. 2018
The gold golf balls may be redeemed for a beverage.

— Ramona Sentinel, "Easter egg hunts Friday through Sunday," 28 Mar. 2018
The pizza ovens are gold-tiled, there's a long counter with pizza makings at one end, a bar at the other.

— polly campbell, Cincinnati.com, "Dear Diary: My dates with MidiCi," 9 Mar. 2018
And John Carlson, who arrived in a custom navy-blue suit with gold shoulder stripes, a sailor cap short of Jonas Grumby, and then delivered one goal and two assists that vaulted him into second among NHL defensemen with 53 points.

— alex prewitt, SI.com, "Capitals Ride The Good Vibes in Stadium Series Win Over Maple Leafs," 4 Mar. 2018
The gold medal run will be at 8:10 a.m. The field is open and three of the U.S. contenders managed to qualify for the finals.

— magan crane, The Seattle Times, "What to watch from Pyeongchang — Day 2," 11 Feb. 2018
For last night's dinner with Swedish A-listers, ranging from the prime minister to actress Alicia Vikander, Middleton went for a gold silk dress, also by Erdem, with a high Victorian collar and ruffled hem.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kate Middleton Goes Glam in Blue Velvet," 31 Jan. 2018
Many in the mining industry who have been exposed to the less toxic form of mercury for generations are openly hostile to the idea that the liquid metal — central to their work as gold miners — might be a problem.

— jim wyss, miamiherald, "How U.S. demand for gold jewelry and bullion is poisoning children in the Amazon," 26 Jan. 2018

First Known Use of gold

1969

GOLD Defined for English Language Learners

gold

noun

Definition of gold for English Language Learners

: a soft yellow metal that is very valuable and that is used especially in jewelry
: gold coins
: a deep yellow color

gold

adjective

Definition of gold for English Language Learners

: made of or from gold
: having a gold color

GOLD Defined for Kids

gold

noun \ ˈgōld \

Definition of gold for Students

1 : a soft yellow metallic chemical element used especially in coins and jewelry

2 : gold coins

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

4 : a deep yellow

Medical Dictionary

gold

noun, often attributive \ ˈgōld \

medical Definition of gold

: 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