golden wedding: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, celebratory, journalistic.
Quick answer
What does “golden wedding” mean?
The 50th anniversary of a wedding.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The 50th anniversary of a wedding.
A celebration or occasion marking fifty years of marriage. Also used attributively to describe things related to this anniversary (e.g., a party, a gift).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use 'golden wedding'. 'Golden wedding anniversary' is slightly more common in American English. 'Fiftieth anniversary' is a frequent neutral alternative in both.
Connotations
Equally formal and celebratory in both varieties. Carries traditional, respectful, and somewhat nostalgic connotations.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English, but common in both. The full phrase 'golden wedding anniversary' is the dominant form in corpus data for AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “golden wedding” in a Sentence
celebrate + [possessive] + golden weddingmark + [possessive] + golden wedding[possessive] + golden wedding + anniversarya party for + [possessive] + golden weddingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “golden wedding” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They will be golden wedding next year.
adjective
British English
- The golden-wedding couple received a card from the Queen.
- They're planning a golden-wedding trip to Italy.
American English
- The golden wedding anniversary party is on Saturday.
- They received a golden wedding anniversary gift from their children.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in the greeting card or hospitality industry (e.g., 'We offer golden wedding packages').
Academic
Extremely rare; would only appear in sociological or demographic studies of marriage.
Everyday
Common in family and social contexts, invitations, congratulations, and news reports.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “golden wedding”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “golden wedding”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “golden wedding”
- Using 'golden wedding' as an adjective without a noun (e.g., 'They had a golden wedding' is correct for the event; 'They had a golden wedding party' is better).
- Confusing with 'silver wedding' (25 years).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct and used interchangeably, though 'golden wedding anniversary' is more explicit and slightly more common in American English.
That is a 'silver wedding' or 'silver wedding anniversary'.
Yes, often hyphenated when used attributively (e.g., a golden-wedding celebration, golden-wedding couple).
It is standard and celebratory. It is commonly used in formal invitations, news reports, and speeches, but is also perfectly understood in everyday conversation.
The 50th anniversary of a wedding.
Golden wedding: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡəʊl.dən ˈwed.ɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡoʊl.dən ˈwed.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To reach a golden wedding”
- “A golden wedding couple”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'gold' for 50 years (the golden anniversary) and 'wedding' for the marriage ceremony it commemorates.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A PRECIOUS METAL (gold). A LONG MARRIAGE IS A VALUABLE TREASURE.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'golden wedding' specifically refer to?