guilds

Cultural  

1. Organizations of artisans in the Middle Ages that sought to regulate the price and quality of products such as weaving and ironwork. Guilds survived into the eighteenth century.

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Guilds gave way to trade unions, a very different type of organization. The artisans in the guilds were self-employed, unlike most members of trade unions.

Example Sentences

“Through the work of OHP, the Academy has also become the primary preservation repository for filmmaker interviews from the guilds and other sources,” notes the organization’s website.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 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

"Any talent agency that engages in this should be boycotted by all guilds," said Lyonne, who is currently working with "ethical AI" to create a feature film that stars real actors.

From BBC • Sep. 30, 2025

On Tuesday, a coalition of Hollywood unions and industry trade groups — including the Motion Picture Assn. and guilds representing screenwriters, directors and actors — backed the idea of a domestic production incentive.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2025

“Let it be written that henceforth only guild members shall be permitted to name themselves journeymen or masters ... provided the guilds open their rolls to any freedman who can demonstrate the requisite skills.”

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin