guild

American  

[gild] / gɪld /

Or gild

noun

• guilds
  plural

1. an organization of persons with related interests, goals, etc., especially one formed for mutual aid or protection.

2. any of various medieval associations, as of merchants or artisans, organized to maintain standards and to protect the interests of its members, and that sometimes constituted a local governing body.

3. Botany. a group of plants, as parasites, having a similar habit of growth and nutrition.

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guild British  

/ ɡɪld /

noun

1. an organization, club, or fellowship

2. (esp in medieval Europe) an association of men sharing the same interests, such as merchants or artisans: formed for mutual aid and protection and to maintain craft standards or pursue some other purpose such as communal worship

3. ecology a group of plants, such as a group of epiphytes, that share certain habits or characteristics

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• guilds
  plural

Etymology

Origin of guild

before 1000; Middle English gild ( e ) < Old Norse gildi guild, payment; replacing Old English gegyld guild; akin to German Geld money, Gothic -gild tax

Explanation

Another word for a club, group, or society is guild, meaning a group of people who have joined together in pursuit of a common interest. Many fraternal and theatrical organizations still maintain buildings called guild halls for meetings and activities. The earliest guilds were for religious purposes as burial societies and offering financial support. In the later Middle Ages, they became organizations to support various trades and crafts. As the forerunners of modern unions, they provided support for their members and were charged with assuring quality in each member's products. The word guild comes originally from the Scandinavian, with roots that mean "payment of tribute," similar to the German gelt ("money"), possibly to reflect the dues paid by members.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

guild guilds

The secret nearly allows Echo to win, but the next day in a nail-biting finish, Liquid defeats the last boss after 474 attempts and secures its place as the best guild in the world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026

“It was very personal for us, so we made it personal for them,” said Andrew Goldstein, a Post-Gazette reporter and president of the guild.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 5, 2026

The guild hopes to improve its members’ healthcare plans, increase streaming residuals and expand AI protections.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2026

His first call was to the head of the local butchers' guild.

From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2026

And for our part, we sang some pleasant songs and acted out some of the stories about Monkey, which we had done once for a guild banquet.

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep

AUTOR: Many professions—such as law and academia—have guilds that are very resistant to change.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Around the fair, you have the opportunity to interact with several guilds and performance tropes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

Its roots lie in the medieval stonemasons' guilds, and members still meet in "lodges" to carry out secretive initiation rituals and ceremonies.

From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2026

“Sentimental Value” didn’t do well with the guilds, but I think Oscar voters, a much more global group, will come through for it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2026

There were wealthy tradesmen, wearing the emblems of their guilds on their finely woven, rain-soaked sleeves.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

Related Words

• federation