# golden

/ˈɡoʊɫdən/ (US) · /ɡˈəʊldən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/golden
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. made of gold

adjective · CEFR A2

made of the precious yellow metal called gold.

For teachers: composed of or consisting of gold.

- The king wore a heavy golden crown during the ceremony.
- The museum's collection includes several golden artifacts recovered from the ancient burial site, each showing remarkable craftsmanship.

### 2. color

adjective · CEFR A2

having a bright, warm yellow or orange-yellow color like gold.

For teachers: having the deep, lustrous yellow color characteristic of gold.

- The fields of wheat looked golden in the late afternoon sun.
- As the sun began to set, the entire coastline was bathed in a warm golden light that photographers call the magic hour.

### 3. successful period

adjective · CEFR B2

a time or period that is very successful, happy, or creative.

For teachers: marked by prosperity, peace, and high productivity or creativity; often used in the phrase 'golden age'.

- Many people consider the 1950s to be the golden age of television.
- Historians often debate whether the reign of the emperor truly constituted a golden era for the common citizens or merely for the elite.

### 4. excellent opportunity

adjective · CEFR B2

very special or lucky, especially when talking about a chance or opportunity.

For teachers: exceptionally favourable or advantageous.

- He had a golden opportunity to score a goal but he missed.
- The startup was presented with a golden opportunity to pitch their idea to the world's leading venture capitalists.

### 5. 50th anniversary

adjective · CEFR B1

used to describe a 50th anniversary, such as a wedding.

For teachers: relating to a fiftieth anniversary.

- The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with a big family party.
- The university is planning a series of lectures to commemorate its golden jubilee next year.

### 6. fine or all set

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal · British English · Slang

to be in a perfect situation where everything is going well or is ready.

For teachers: in a state of being perfectly fine, successful, or without problems; often used predicatively.

- If we get the tickets now, we're golden for the rest of the trip.
- Once the lead developer approved the final code merge, the team knew they were golden for the scheduled morning launch.

### 7. dog breed

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a short name for a Golden Retriever, a popular type of large, friendly dog.

For teachers: an informal ellipsis for the Golden Retriever breed of dog.

- We took our golden for a long walk in the park this morning.
- While goldens are known for their gentle temperament, they require significant daily exercise to remain healthy and engaged.

## Examples

- The fields of wheat look golden in the afternoon sun.
- Once you get the manager's signature on this form, you are golden and can start work tomorrow.
- The late twentieth century is often viewed as a golden age of cinema, characterized by a unique intersection of studio funding and experimental directorial freedom.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.