guild

or gild

[ gild ]
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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.

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

Origin of guild

1
before 1000; Middle English gild(e) <Old Norse gildi guild, payment; replacing Old English gegyld guild; akin to German Geld money, Gothic -gild tax

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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use guild in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for guild

guild

gild

/ (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

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

Origin of guild

1
C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse gjald payment, gildi guild; related to Old English gield offering, Old High German gelt money

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