n.
- (Symbol Au) A soft, yellow, corrosion-resistant element, the most malleable and ductile metal, occurring in veins and alluvial deposits and recovered by mining or by panning or sluicing. A good thermal and electrical conductor, gold is generally alloyed to increase its strength, and it is used as an international monetary standard, in jewelry, for decoration, and as a plated coating on a wide variety of electrical and mechanical components. Atomic number 79; atomic weight 196.967; melting point 1,063.0°C; boiling point 2,966.0°C; specific gravity 19.32; valence 1, 3.
- Coinage made of this element.
- A gold standard.
- Money; riches.
- A light olive-brown to dark yellow, or a moderate, strong to vivid yellow.
- Something regarded as having great value or goodness: a heart of gold.
- A medal made of gold awarded to one placing first in a competition, as in the Olympics: won 9 golds in 13 events.
- A gold record.
Having the color of gold.
[Middle English, from Old English.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
