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fool's gold

American

noun

iron or copper pyrites, sometimes mistaken for gold.

fool's gold British

noun

any of various yellow minerals, esp pyrite or chalcopyrite, that can be mistaken for gold

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

fool's gold Scientific

/ fo̅o̅lz /

Any of several minerals, especially pyrite and chalcopyrite, sometimes mistaken for gold.

Etymology

Origin of fool's gold

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

fool's gold

Pyrite, sometimes called "fool's gold" because of its metallic shine, is an iron sulfide mineral commonly found in sedimentary environments.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 16, 2026

The numbers: The trade deficit fell a few months ago to a 16-year low, but it was fool’s gold.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 29, 2026

While Venezuela’s mineral industry may turn out to be fool’s gold, the rest of the region could well be the golden goose investors are looking for.

From Barron's ● Jan. 9, 2026

It's a direct substitution of fool's gold for the real thing.

From Salon ● Nov. 14, 2024

But the kitchen light sparked flecks of fool's gold stars, and out of the waves burst hand-painted shells, white and pink, the kind my mother loved.

From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023