gold
1 Americannoun
-
a precious yellow metallic element, highly malleable and ductile, and not subject to oxidation or corrosion. Au; 196.967; 79; 19.3 at 20°C.
-
a quantity of gold coins.
to pay in gold.
-
a monetary standard based on this metal; gold standard.
-
something likened to this metal in brightness, preciousness, superiority, etc..
a heart of gold.
-
a bright, metallic yellow color, sometimes tending toward brown.
-
Military. Gold, the code name for one of the five D-day invasion beaches, assaulted by British troops.
adjective
-
consisting of gold.
-
pertaining to gold.
-
like gold.
-
of the color of gold.
-
indicating the fiftieth event of a series, as a wedding anniversary.
-
(of an audio recording) having sold a minimum of 500,000 copies.
idioms
noun
noun
-
Herbert, 1924–2023, U.S. novelist and short-story writer.
-
Thomas, 1920–2004, U.S. astronomer, born in Austria: formulated the steady-state theory of the universe.
noun
-
-
a dense inert bright yellow element that is the most malleable and ductile metal, occurring in rocks and alluvial deposits: used as a monetary standard and in jewellery, dentistry, and plating. The radioisotope gold-198 ( radiogold ), with a half-life of 2.69 days, is used in radiotherapy. Symbol: Au; atomic no: 79; atomic wt: 196.96654; valency: 1 or 3; relative density: 19.3; melting pt: 1064.43°C; boiling pt: 2857°C
-
( as modifier )
a gold mine
-
-
a coin or coins made of this metal
-
money; wealth
-
something precious, beautiful, etc, such as a noble nature (esp in the phrase heart of gold )
-
-
a deep yellow colour, sometimes with a brownish tinge
-
( as adjective )
a gold carpet
-
-
archery the bull's eye of a target, scoring nine points
-
short for gold medal
noun
-
A soft, shiny, yellow element that is the most malleable of all the metals. It occurs in veins and in alluvial deposits. Because it is very durable, resistant to corrosion, and a good conductor of heat and electricity, gold is used as a plated coating on electrical and mechanical components. It is also an international monetary standard and is used in jewelry and for decoration. Atomic number 79; atomic weight 196.967; melting point 1,063.0°C; boiling point 2,966.0°C; specific gravity 19.32; valence 1, 3.
-
See Periodic Table See Note at element
Other Word Forms
- nongold noun
Etymology
Origin of gold
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Gold, Gothic gulth; akin to Persian zar, Russian zóloto, Sanskrit híraṇya; yellow ( def. )
Explanation
Gold is a relatively soft, shiny precious metal. Many kinds of jewelry, including necklaces, bangles, and wedding rings are traditionally made of gold. The element itself is called gold, and it's used to make valuable jewels, coins, and as a standard for currency trading. You can also use the word to describe the color, a shiny metallic deep yellow, or to describe things made from the metal: "Check out my new gold earrings!" Gold is an Old English word that shares a Proto-Indo-European root with the word "yellow:" ghel-, which means "yellow or green," and possibly "bright."
Vocabulary lists containing gold
Non-Color Words to Use When Describing Color
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Yellow
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Brown
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
After one conversation with then-recently hired Bruins coach Bob Chesney, Iamaleava was sold on wearing the blue and gold for another season.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026
Find insight Cascades, Canada’s energy majors, gold and silver prices, Nouveau Monde Graphite and more in the latest Market Talks covering basic materials.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
The base would have statues of gold lions.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
Worries about inflation have caused some seniors to stampede into gold instead, even though that is highly speculative, functionally useless and pays no dividends at all.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
Potted plants crowded some of them, pink and gold bougainvillea unfurling over wooden rails painted red or black.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.