gilded

adjective

gild·​ed ˈgil-dəd 

1

: covered or tinged with gold or a golden color

gilded icons

The reception room, just off the entryway, features colorful wall and ceiling decorations and a gilded overmantel mirror and matching cornices.

—Stephen May

2

: having a background of wealth and luxury : prosperous, luxurious

Emily Post was raised among New York's gilded elite.

—Susan Berfield

… despite the upper-crust background and the gilded résumé, Bonham Carter is a pretty modern chick off stage.

—Elizabeth Gleick

Examples of gilded in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Diners sit underneath a shower of bespoke crystal raindrops that sparkle against dark marble walls, gilded mirrors, and floor-to-ceiling shelving sculpted out of raw wood by French artist Jean-Guillaume Mathia. —Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 19 Dec. 2025

With notes of pear, aldehydes, jasmine, rose, vanilla, and musk, the perfume comes in a smoky gray bottle with a gilded top. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2025

Incorporate the Look into Your Holiday Gifting Sweet gifting ideas, such as ballet music boxes, gilded candleholders, and vintage gold picture frames, are resonating with Etsy shoppers now, says Johnson. —Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Nov. 2025

Upon entering the gilded gallery, the thieves used power tools to cut into the glass cases to reach the precious jewels, investigators said. —Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of gild entry 1

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gilded

• builded