guild

noun

variants or less commonly
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 noun

Examples of guild in a Sentence

after his apprenticeship, he was able to join the stonemasons' guild
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It’s been a long road to screens for the sequel, which was forced to suspend production one month in due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, completing production in early 2024, after the guild completed its latest round of labor negotiations. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2025 The guild donates hundreds of quilts and other handmade items to a variety of local groups, including Rady Children’s Hospital, senior centers, hospitals, police and military groups. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025 Whether that will result in a new round of talks with stakeholders — studios, agencies, guilds, estates and more — or spur a round of lawsuits like the legal salvos lobbed by Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2025 The guild head, son of film and TV treasure Patty Duke, pointed to legislation signed by California Governor Gavin Newsome on Friday, for which SAG-AFTRA provided testimony. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for guild

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of guild was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guild.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guild. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on guild

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