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.
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.
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.
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
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
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Gold, Gothic gulth; akin to Persian zar, Russian zóloto, Sanskrit híraṇya; cf. yellow ( def. )
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."
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Find insight on gold and silver prices, palm oil, Air Liquide and more in the latest Market Talks covering Basic Materials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
She delivered when it mattered and under intense pressure, just days after one of her lowest moments, to create history by becoming the first Welsh woman to win an artistic gymnastics Commonwealth Games gold.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
A higher interest-rate environment typically weighs on nonyielding assets such as gold by increasing the opportunity cost of holding bullion.
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His time in the 100m breaststroke at the British Championships in April - 58.97 seconds - would have won Commonwealth gold.
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Why did I have to spin all that straw into gold?
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
The nomination included the five D-Day beaches known by their code names: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Jones, a five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, is making history as the first native of Curaçao elected to the Hall of Fame.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
About three-quarters of new Platinum and Gold cardholders are either millennials or members of Generation Z, according to the company.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Gold prices are at risk ahead of central bank decisions with the European Central Bank’s rate decision this week, and the Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan and Bank of England next week.
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He thought about that day in the courtyard of Namwon, when the Governor had stood before him and handed him a Gold orb just like this.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
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.
