gold
UK[ɡəʊld]US[ɡoʊld]
n
A yellow precious metal, the chemical element of atomic number 79, used especially in jewelry and decoration and to guarantee the value of currencies.
n
A deep yellow color, like that of gold.
n
Something considered to be precious, excellent, or favorable (e.g., a gold medal).
Etymology
The English word 'gold' descends directly from the Old English 'gold', which is of Germanic origin. It is related to Dutch 'goud' and German 'Gold', all tracing back to a Proto-Germanic root 'gulþą'. This Germanic root is further connected to the Proto-Indo-European root 'ǵʰelh₃-', meaning 'to shine, to gleam; yellow or green'. This ancient semantic link is beautifully preserved, as the metal's defining characteristic—its brilliant, shining yellow color—became its name. The word's journey exemplifies how a basic descriptive property (shininess/yellowness) was lexicalized to name a specific, valuable substance.
Analysis
The word 'gold' is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller morphemes within modern English spelling.
Examples
The ancient artifact was made of solid gold.
She won the gold in the 100-meter sprint.
The setting sun painted the sky a brilliant gold.