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Meaning & use

golden

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈɡəʊldən/
US/ˈɡoʊldən/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Having the warm yellow color of gold or the shine of this metal.

    Grammar: Used before or after a noun: golden hair, the field was golden.

    Patterns

    • golden in color

    The pancakes were crisp and golden brown.

    Golden light fell across the beach at sunset.

    She had long golden hair.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Made of gold or covered with gold.

    Grammar: Used before a noun: a golden ring.

    Patterns

    • golden something

    He wore a golden chain around his neck.

    The king sat on a golden throne.

    They kept a golden coin for luck.

  3. adjectivebefore a nounapproving

    Wonderful, valuable or happy; the best of its kind.

    Grammar: Often part of set phrases: golden opportunity, golden age.

    Patterns

    • a golden opportunity
    • a golden age

    It was a golden opportunity to learn from an expert.

    Many people call the 1950s the golden age of the diner.

    She enjoyed a golden childhood by the sea.

  4. adjectivebefore a noun

    Marking a fiftieth anniversary, or the highest stage of achievement in a contest.

    Grammar: Used in fixed expressions: golden wedding, golden jubilee.

    Patterns

    • golden wedding
    • golden jubilee

    My grandparents are celebrating their golden wedding.

    The town held a parade for its golden jubilee.

    He won the golden boot as top scorer.

Word forms

comparativemore golden
superlativemost golden

Common combinations

golden opportunity
The internship was a golden opportunity.
golden age
Jazz had a golden age in the 1950s.
golden rule
The golden rule is to treat others as you want to be treated.
golden brown
Bake the bread until it is golden brown.
golden years
They moved to the coast for their golden years.
golden handshake
The retiring executive received a golden handshake.

Synonyms and how they differ

gilded
Gilded means thinly covered with gold, while golden means colored like gold or made of it.
yellow
Yellow names the color only, but golden adds warmth and shine.
precious
Precious means highly valued, whereas golden also suggests a happy peak period.
blond
Blond describes light hair, while golden hair has a warmer, shinier tone.

Opposites

dullleaden

Word family

gold noun
a yellow precious metal
gold adjective
made of or colored like gold
goldenly adverb
in a golden way, rarely used
goldsmith noun
a person who makes objects of gold

Commonly confused: golden or gilded? golden or gold?

golden vs gilded

Gilded means coated with a thin layer of gold. Golden may mean the whole item is gold or simply gold-colored.

golden vs gold

Gold is the metal or the color, while golden is the adjective for things like gold or of high value.

Practice

The company offered her a ___ opportunity to lead the new project.

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