gild

/ɡɪld/

//ɡɪld// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"gild" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gild” is uncommon English (frequency #57,405 among 18,276 “G” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,405
frequency rank, English
18,276
“G” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To cover with a thin layer of gold; to cover with gold leaf.

Key facts for gild
PropertyValue
Headwordgild
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɡɪld/
Letters4
Frequency rank#57,405
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gild” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). gild lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

gild is uncommon English at frequency #57,405 among 18,276 “G” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɡɪld/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for gild in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English gilden, gulden, from Old English gyldan (“to gild, to cover with a thin layer of gold”), from Proto-West Germanic *gulþijan, from Proto-Germanic *gulþijaną, from Proto-Germanic *gulþą (“gold”). The correct English form is gild, spelled G-I-L-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cover with a thin layer of gold; to cover with gold leaf.
  2. 2
    To adorn.
  3. 3
    To decorate with a golden surface appearance.
  4. 4
    To give a bright or pleasing aspect to.
  5. 5
    To give a brilliant colour or flush to one's face; (also) to make appear drunk.

Etymology

From Middle English gilden, gulden, from Old English gyldan (“to gild, to cover with a thin layer of gold”), from Proto-West Germanic *gulþijan, from Proto-Germanic *gulþijaną, from Proto-Germanic *gulþą (“gold”).

This word in other languages

dorar(Español)dorer(Français)vergolden(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "gild"?
"gild" is spelled G-I-L-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ɡɪld/.
What does "gild" mean?
As a verb, "gild" means: To cover with a thin layer of gold; to cover with gold leaf.
How do you pronounce "gild"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gild" is /ɡɪld/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "gild"?
From Middle English gilden, gulden, from Old English gyldan (“to gild, to cover with a thin layer of gold”), from Proto-West Germanic *gulþijan, from Proto-Germanic *gulþijaną, from Proto-Germanic *gulþą (“gold”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “gild”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is G-I-L-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɡɪld/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list