An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Gilde

by Friedrich Kluge

Gilde, feminine, ‘guild, corporation,’ Modern High German only, from the equivalent Dutch gild; corresponding to Old Icelandic gilde, ‘guild’ (from the middle of the 11th century), Middle English gilde, English guild. The primary meaning of the word, which first appears in Scandinavian, is ‘sacrifice, sacrificial feast, festive gathering, club’; allied to gelten (in the sense of ‘to sacrifice,’ in Old Saxon geldan, and in Anglo-Saxon gildan).