Meaning & use
golden plated
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivenot comparable
Covered with a thin layer of gold or a gold-colored metal.
Grammar: Used before a noun: a golden-plated watch. It is not used after verbs like 'be' in standard English.
Patterns
- golden-plated something
She wore a golden-plated necklace that looked expensive but was actually quite cheap.
The trophy is golden-plated, so it shines even after years on the shelf.
He bought a golden-plated pen as a gift for his father's retirement.
Common combinations
- golden-plated jewelry
- The store sells golden-plated jewelry that is affordable.
- golden-plated watch
- He checked the time on his golden-plated watch.
- golden-plated finish
- The frame has a golden-plated finish that resists tarnishing.
- golden-plated award
- The winner received a golden-plated award for excellence.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gold-plated
- The standard term for a thin gold coating; 'golden plated' is a variant that may emphasize color rather than material.
- gilded
- Literary or formal; it means covered with gold or a gold-like substance, and can also mean 'wealthy'.
Word family
- gold plate noun
- A thin layer of gold applied to a surface.
- gold-plate verb
- To cover something with a thin layer of gold.
Commonly confused: golden plated or golden? golden plated or gold-filled?
golden plated vs golden
Golden means 'made of gold' or 'gold-colored'; it does not necessarily mean covered with a thin layer of gold.
golden plated vs gold-filled
Gold-filled items have a thicker layer of gold bonded to a base metal, while golden-plated items have a very thin coating.
Practice
The jewelry is described as golden-plated. What does this mean?
Choose one answer.
Golden-plated means covered with a thin layer of gold or a gold-colored metal. 'Solid gold' would mean the whole item is gold, and 'painted' suggests paint, not metal plating.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “golden plated”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.