cloth-of-gold: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Literary, Historical, Technical (Textiles)
Quick answer
What does “cloth-of-gold” mean?
A historical, luxurious fabric woven with gold threads or wire.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A historical, luxurious fabric woven with gold threads or wire.
A symbol of extreme opulence, wealth, or medieval/Renaissance-era luxury; sometimes used metaphorically to denote something of great value or showy splendor.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning difference. Usage is equally rare in both variants.
Connotations
Connotes historical British/European royalty and church vestments equally in both dialects.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both. Slightly more likely in UK due to historical discourse on monarchy, but negligible difference.
Grammar
How to Use “cloth-of-gold” in a Sentence
[subject] was woven from cloth-of-gold.The [noun] was made of cloth-of-gold.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cloth-of-gold” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A. The word is not used as a verb.
American English
- N/A. The word is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A. The word is not used as an adverb.
American English
- N/A. The word is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- N/A. Not used attributively. Use 'cloth-of-gold' as a noun modifier: 'a cloth-of-gold robe'.
- N/A. Not used predicatively.
American English
- N/A. Not used attributively. Use 'cloth-of-gold' as a noun modifier: 'a cloth-of-gold altar frontal'.
- N/A. Not used predicatively.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used except metaphorically in high-end marketing (e.g., 'a cloth-of-gold experience').
Academic
Used in historical, art history, and textile studies papers describing artifacts, garments, or economic history.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would only appear in sophisticated metaphorical use or specific historical discussion.
Technical
Specific term in historical textile conservation and reproduction for fabrics with metallic wefts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cloth-of-gold”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cloth-of-gold”
- Spelling as 'cloth-of-golden'.
- Using as a countable noun (e.g., 'a cloth-of-gold').
- Confusing with 'fool's gold'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Cloth-of-gold' is a specific historical term for fabric woven with gold threads or strips. 'Gold cloth' is a more general, modern term that could refer to any gold-colored fabric, often without real gold.
Only metaphorically to evoke extreme luxury or an archaic feel (e.g., 'the CEO's office was a study in corporate cloth-of-gold'). Literal use is confined to historical or reproduction contexts.
Yes, the standard form is hyphenated: 'cloth-of-gold'. Sometimes it appears without hyphens, especially in historical texts, but the hyphenated form is the modern dictionary standard.
It was a famous diplomatic meeting and lavish festival in 1520 between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The name derives from the extravagant use of tents and costumes made of cloth-of-gold at the event.
A historical, luxurious fabric woven with gold threads or wire.
Cloth-of-gold is usually formal, literary, historical, technical (textiles) in register.
Cloth-of-gold: in British English it is pronounced /ˌklɒθ əv ˈɡəʊld/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌklɔːθ əv ˈɡoʊld/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not to be born in cloth-of-gold (proverb, archaic: not born to great wealth).”
- “"Field of the Cloth of Gold" (historic 1520 meeting between English and French kings).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a king's CLOAK THROWN over a chest of GOLD – 'cloth-of-gold'.
Conceptual Metaphor
WEALTH IS A LUXURIOUS FABRIC / STATUS IS GILDED MATERIAL.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'cloth-of-gold' MOST appropriately used?