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gold digger
gold diggernouna person who seeks or digs for gold in a gold field.
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gold-digger
gold-diggernouna person who prospects or digs for gold
gold digger
Americannoun
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a person who seeks or digs for gold in a gold field.
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Informal. a woman who associates with or marries a man chiefly for material gain.
noun
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a person who prospects or digs for gold
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informal a woman who uses her sexual attractions to accumulate gifts and wealth or advance her social position
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gold digger
An Americanism dating back to 1820–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Julia, a successful businesswoman in textile design, knows that her father will be alarmed at this impetuous engagement and will want to make sure that Johnny isn’t a gold digger.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026
There are so many reasons why we need to retire the word gold digger, as well as the belief system behind it.
From Salon • May 23, 2023
Snoop has denied the claims, according to TMZ, and wrote on Instagram that "gold digger season is here".
From BBC • Feb. 11, 2022
One thing she isn’t, she said, is a gold digger, something she had to ask mom Kris Jenner’s boyfriend Corey Gamble how to become.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 9, 2021
I look around the room for Darius, to see if there’s any hint that he might’ve heard what Layla just said about Janae being a gold digger.
From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi
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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.