gold leaf

American  

noun

1. gold in the form of very thin foil, as for gilding.

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gold leaf British  

noun

1. very thin gold sheet with a thickness usually between 0.076 and 0.127 micrometre, produced by rolling or hammering gold and used for gilding woodwork, etc

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Other Word Forms

• gold-leaf
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of gold leaf

First recorded in 1720–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gold leaf

This early-to-mid 19th century craft involves applying artwork, lettering and gold leaf backwards onto glass panes, as often seen in traditional pubs or shop fronts.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

Trump said Tuesday he had accepted Macron's offer of dinner at Versailles as the palace of the French Sun King Louis XIV is "not gold leaf" but the "real deal".

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

Remember, it’s gold leaf: Below the gilding, the rest of the figure is made of bronze.

From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026

These works are Impressionistic, displaying washes of scenes featuring elements like lily pads and flowers, some of them incorporating gold leaf as an accent in reference to the Japanese kintsugi technique.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2026

Jeanne examines a Latin volume with beautiful illuminations in blue, red, and gold leaf.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz