English edit

Etymology edit

French, from de (of) + or (gold).

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

d'or (not comparable)

  1. (heraldry, postpositive) Of gold; golden.
    • 1617, William Camden, Worshipful Society of Apothecaries - description of coat of arms
      On a shield azure Apollo, the inventor of phisique, proper, with his head radiant, holdinge in his left hand a bowe, and his right hande an arrow d'or []
    • 1846, Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado:
      ‘I forget your coat of arms.’
      ‘A human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.’

Usage notes edit

  • The usual term is or, but as this is spelled the same as the conjunction or, the French form d'or is sometimes used to reduce ambiguity.

Related terms edit

Anagrams edit

French edit

Pronunciation edit

Prepositional phrase edit

d’or (invariable)

  1. (literally) golden, gold
    louis d’orlouis d'or
    tuer la poule aux œufs d’orto kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
  2. (figuratively) golden, gold
    avoir un cœur d’orto have a heart of gold
    âge d’orgolden age, golden years
    règle d’orgolden rule
    noces d’orgolden wedding
    le silence est d’orsilence is golden
    parler d’orto speak wisely

See also edit