GUILD

club, social club, society, guild, gild, lodge, order

(noun) a formal association of people with similar interests; “he joined a golf club”; “they formed a small lunch society”; “men from the fraternal order will staff the soup kitchen today”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

guild (plural guilds)

A group or association mainly of tradespeople made up of merchants, craftspeople, or artisans for mutual aid, particularly in the Middle Ages.

A corporation.

(ecology) A group of diverse species that share common characteristics or habits.

(video games) An organized group of players who regularly play together in a multiplayer game.

Synonyms

• (medieval professional associations): Hanse (merchants)

• (modern professional associations): trade union, union, professional association

Proper noun

Guild (plural Guilds)

A surname.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Guild is the 11250^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 2810 individuals. Guild is most common among White (88.83%) individuals.

Source: Wiktionary

Guild, n. Etym: [OE. gilds, AS. gild, gield, geld, tribute, a society or company where payment was made for its charge and support, fr. AS. gildan, gieldan, to pay. See Yield, v. t.]

1. An association of men belonging to the same class, or engaged in kindred pursuits, formed for mutual aid and protection; a business fraternity or corporation; as, the Stationers' Guild; the Ironmongers' Guild. They were originally licensed by the government, and endowed with special privileges and authority.

2. A guildhall. [Obs.] Spenser.

3. A religious association or society, organized for charitable purposes or for assistance in parish work.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition