gold English · revision 2555

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725 (Old English gold)|origins=ine-pro *ghel-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ɡəʊld/, US /ɡoʊld/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|gold]], [[inh|ang|gold]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from [[gem-pro|*gulthan]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Its cognates include [[ofs|gold]], [[osx|gold]], [[nl|goud]], [[de|Gold]] and [[non|gull]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) and Gothic has gulþ.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Watkins derives it from [[ine-pro|*ghel-|t=to shine]], with derivatives denoting the “bright” metal,^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) the root also of [[yellow]].^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) Etymonline notes that this is the general Indo-European word for gold in Germanic, Balto-Slavic and Indo-Iranian, as in Old Church Slavonic zlato.^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The precious metal: Old English ''gold'', about 725.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Gold as a valuable possession or medium of exchange is from about 870.^(OED 1989) Etymonline notes that from Homer to Middle English red was often given as the colour of pure gold, perhaps from testing it by heat, and in Middle English ''red gold'' meant pure gold, from about 1200.^(Etymonline) Gold thread for ornamenting cloth is from about 1340,^(OED 1989) and the colour of the metal from about 1400.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The adjective, “made of gold”, is from about 1200.^(Etymonline) The figurative use, for something precious and brilliant, is from before 1553.^(OED 1989) ''Gold medal'' as a first prize is from 1757, and ''gold rush'' from 1859, first in Australia.^(Etymonline) The adjective ''gold'' for a record that has sold a certain number of copies is from 1969.^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''gold''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 870 – gold as wealth.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1200 – ''red gold''; adjective, made of gold.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – the colour gold.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1757 – ''gold medal''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1859 – ''gold rush''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1969 – a gold record.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A soft, yellow, precious metallic [[element]] that does not corrode, symbol Au.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Coins or objects made of gold; money, wealth.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A bright yellow colour.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Something precious: ''a heart of gold''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A gold medal.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Made of or like gold; of the colour of gold.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gild]]

+ * [[gilded]]

+ * [[gilt]]

+ * [[golden]]

+ * [[goldsmith]]

+ * [[goldfinch]]

+ * [[yellow]]

+ * [[gleam]]

+ * [[glint]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate, now dialectal ''gold'' is the corn marigold, from Old English ''golde''.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}