guild

American  

[gild] / gɪld /

Or gild

noun

1. an organization of persons with related interests, goals, etc., especially one formed for mutual aid or protection.

2. any of various medieval associations, as of merchants or artisans, organized to maintain standards and to protect the interests of its members, and that sometimes constituted a local governing body.

3. Botany. a group of plants, as parasites, having a similar habit of growth and nutrition.

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guild British  

/ ɡɪld /

noun

1. an organization, club, or fellowship

2. (esp in medieval Europe) an association of men sharing the same interests, such as merchants or artisans: formed for mutual aid and protection and to maintain craft standards or pursue some other purpose such as communal worship

3. ecology a group of plants, such as a group of epiphytes, that share certain habits or characteristics

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Etymology

Origin of guild

before 1000; Middle English gild ( e ) < Old Norse gildi guild, payment; replacing Old English gegyld guild; akin to German Geld money, Gothic -gild tax

Example Sentences

The guild hopes to improve its members’ healthcare plans, increase streaming residuals and expand AI protections.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

"The butchery trade is hard work," says the butchers' guild head, Joachim Lederer.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

In 2023, the guild secured various AI protections by establishing that AI isn’t a writer and nothing it produces is considered literary material.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026

A surgeons guild recommends against surgery for minors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

Velutha was fourteen when Johann Klein, a German carpenter from a carpenter’s guild in Bavaria, came to Kottayam and spent three years with the Christian Mission Society, conducting a workshop with local carpenters.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

Related Words

• federation