Gild

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ɡɪld/

Definitions

1. To apply a thin layer of gold or a metallic coating to an object ; to make something appear better or more attractive than it truly is by adding superficial decoration or improvements
2. To coat an item with gold or a similar shiny material ; to improve the appearance or value of something often by masking its true nature
3. To cover or overlay a surface with gold or an imitation of it ; to embellish or adorn something in a way that may disguise its actual qualities

Etymology: Old English "gyldan" meant "to gild," or to cover something with a thin layer of gold, and it grew directly out of the noun for the metal itself. Its ancestor, the Proto-Germanic "gulþą," meant "gold," and that same root gave English the word "gold." So the verb and the metal share a single family tree rather than one being borrowed from the other, which is why the two words look so alike. The verb came into Middle English as "gilden" and "gulden," and it kept its literal sense for centuries. A gilded object was a thing with a gold surface, and the idea of a surface only pretending to be precious followed naturally. That is why "gilded" and "gilt" can describe something flashy rather than truly valuable, as in the phrase "gilded cage."

Synonyms: gold-plate, decorate

Antonyms: dull, devalue