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golden rule

American  
[gohl-duhn rool] / ˈgoʊl dən ˈrul /

noun

  1. a rule of ethical conduct, usually phrased “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” paraphrased from the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament.

  2. any philosophy, guiding principle, or ideal of behavior, as in a discipline, pursuit, or business.

    The protesters agreed that their golden rule would be “no violence.”
golden rule British  

noun

  1. any of a number of rules of fair conduct, such as Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them (Matthew 7:12) or thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (Leviticus 19:28)

  2. any important principle

    a golden rule of sailing is to wear a life jacket

  3. the principle advocated by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown (in office 1997–2007) that a government should only borrow to invest

  4. another name for rule of three

"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
golden rule Idioms  

  1. see under do unto others.

Etymology

Origin of golden rule

First recorded in 1550–60

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.

Papperger had broken a golden rule of dealing with the U.S. government: Never announce anything related to the sharing of technology without first getting approval.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 29, 2025

Historically, the game has followed a golden rule.

From Slate • Nov. 18, 2025

After living in Southeast Asia for nearly seven years, I go by the golden rule: If you see pandan on a menu, order it.

From Salon • Feb. 3, 2025

So I think the bottom line is, I try to live my life by the golden rule, that’s what I’ve always been taught.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2024

If the problem of association is practically to be solved to the satisfaction of all those concerned, there is one golden rule always to be followed.

From Social Transformations of the Victorian Age A Survey of Court and Country by Escott, T. H. S. (Thomas Hay Sweet)

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.