guild definition - Dictionary

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	guest worker

	guesthouse

	guestroom

	guff

	guffaw

	GUI

	Guiana

	guidance

	guidance counselor

	guide

	guide dog

	guide fossil

	guide rope

	guide word

	guidebook

	guided missile

	guideline

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guild

guild [ gild ] (plural guilds) or gild [ gild ] (plural gilds)

noun

Definition:

1. association of people with similar interests: a club, society, or other organization of people with common interests or goals

2. medieval trade association: an association of merchants or craftspersons in medieval Europe, formed to give help and advice to its members and to make regulations and set standards for a particular trade

3. group of organisms: a group of organisms that use the same environmental resources in a similar way

[14th century. Probably < Middle Low German, Middle Dutch gilde< Germanic]

guild·ship noun

guilds·man noun

guilds·wo·man noun

Spelling Note


	guild or gild? Do not confuse the spelling of guild and gild, which sound similar. Guild is a noun denoting an association of people, as in a guild of craftspeople. Gild is a verb meaning "cover with gold" or "tinge with a golden color," as in gild a picture frame, clouds gilded by the setting sun. Note that the noun guild can also be spelled gild, but the verb gild cannot be spelled guild.