Meaning

noun someone whose occupation is to apply an overlay of gold or gilt

originFrom Middle English gilder (“any of various coins (originally gold), especially in use in Flanders, Germany and Holland”) [and other forms], from Middle Dutch gulden, Middle Low German gulden (“guilder”), influenced by Middle English gilden (“made of gold; covered or decorated with gold; of a gold colour; wealthy; glorious; precious; blessed, happy; relating to the middle way or mean”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0