guild

noun

variants or less commonly gild
1
: an association of people with similar interests or pursuits
especially : a medieval association of merchants or craftsmen
2
: a group of organisms that use the same ecological resource in a similar way
a feeding guild
guildship noun

Examples of guild in a Sentence

after his apprenticeship, he was able to join the stonemasons' guild
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ultimately, the guild won some historic provisions to serve as a baseline for future negotiations, including contractual language to define a writer as a human. Katie Campione, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025 If put forward, the bill would lead to fewer digital materials available for loan in libraries throughout the state, limiting access for readers, the guild believes. James Watson, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2025 But even putting that aside, the real direct correlation between guild awards and the Oscars is with predicting the nominations, not the winners. Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 2 Mar. 2025 Various guild and industry awards have given some momentum to some of the films, filmmakers and actors heading into Sunday’s Oscars 2025 ceremony. Tim Lammers, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for guild

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gilde, from Old Norse gildi payment, guild; akin to Old English gield tribute, guild — more at geld

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of guild was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guild.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guild. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

guild

noun
variants also gild
ˈgild
: an association of persons with common interests or aims
especially : an association of merchants or craftsmen in the Middle Ages

More from Merriam-Webster on guild

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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