guilds

Cultural  

1. Organizations of artisans in the Middle Ages that sought to regulate the price and quality of products such as weaving and ironwork. Guilds survived into the eighteenth century.

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Guilds gave way to trade unions, a very different type of organization. The artisans in the guilds were self-employed, unlike most members of trade unions.

Example Sentences

“Through the work of OHP, the Academy has also become the primary preservation repository for filmmaker interviews from the guilds and other sources,” notes the organization’s website.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2026

Its roots lie in the medieval stonemasons' guilds, and members still meet in "lodges" to carry out secretive initiation rituals and ceremonies based on allegories such as the building of King Solomon's Temple.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2025

Hollywood guilds such as SAG-AFTRA have been outspoken about the harm AI could have on jobs and have fought for protections against AI in contracts in TV shows, films and video games.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2025

Still, it’s worth pointing out that “Anora” won the top prizes this year from the producers, directors and writers guilds.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2025

To control the practice of their trade, craftsmen banded together to form societies called guilds.

From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman