guild

American  

[gild] / gɪld /

Or gild

noun

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.

---

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

---

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

Example Sentences

“A newsroom cannot be hollowed out with consequences for its credibility, its reach and its future,” the guild said in a statement.

From Salon

When her father, René, learns she has developed a vibrant blue dye, he tries to steal it — and is then imprisoned for treason by the dyers’ guild.

From Los Angeles Times

Warsh regularly disparages such models and the “economics guild” that developed them.

From The Wall Street Journal

Negotiations between the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are expected to begin March 16.

From Los Angeles Times

“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

Related Words

• federation