Meaning & use
guild
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
An organized group of people who share a trade or craft and work together to protect their interests and keep standards high.
Grammar: Use it as a countable noun: a guild, the guild, or guilds in the plural.
Patterns
- join a guild
- the guild of something
- a guild member
In the Middle Ages, every skilled worker in the city had to belong to a guild.
The weavers' guild set the prices and quality rules for cloth sold in the town.
She was elected head of the local builders' guild last year.
nouncountableinformal
In online games, a group of players who play together regularly and help each other complete missions.
Grammar: Common in gaming talk; you can say 'join a guild' or 'start a guild'.
Patterns
- join a guild
- start a guild
- a guild member
He spends most evenings raiding with his guild.
Our guild has players from all over the world.
She left the guild because she wanted to play solo for a while.
Word forms
| plural | guilds |
|---|
Common combinations
- join a guild
- New players can join a guild to get help from more experienced members.
- guild member
- Every guild member pays a small fee to cover costs.
- the guild system
- The guild system controlled who could work in each trade.
- guild hall
- The old guild hall is now a museum.
Synonyms and how they differ
- association
- A general word for any organized group; 'guild' is more specific to trade or craft groups and has a historical feel.
- union
- Usually refers to workers' organizations that negotiate with employers; a guild is more about shared craft standards and mutual support.
- society
- Can mean any club or organization; 'guild' suggests a group with a common trade or skill.
Word family
- guildsman noun
- A member of a guild, especially in historical contexts.
Commonly confused: guild or gild?
guild vs gild
Pronounced the same but means 'to cover with gold or make something look better than it is'. 'Guild' is the group; 'gild' is the action.
Practice
In the Middle Ages, carpenters in a town often belonged to a ______ that set rules for their work.
Choose one answer.
'Guild' fits because it means a trade association. 'Gild' is a verb meaning to cover with gold, 'gilt' is a noun/adjective for gold covering, and 'guilt' means a feeling of having done wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “guild”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.