gold digger

See also: golddigger

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Literal sense from 1830s; figurative sense (woman who seeks money in a relationship) from 1915.[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɡəʊld ˈdɪɡə(ɹ)/

Noun

gold digger (plural gold diggers)

  1. Someone who digs or mines for gold.
    Synonym: gold miner
  2. (figuratively, derogatory) A person who cultivates a personal relationship in order to attain wealth.
    Synonym: fortune hunter
    Hypernyms: see Thesaurus:hypergamist
    Coordinate terms: fame digger, fame whore (sometimes coinstantial)
    • 2009, Rajen Persaud, Why Black Men Love White Women, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 189:
      If she sends her son for the money she is a gold digger, and if she sends her daughter, she is a gold digger teaching her daughter how to be a gold digger—two offenses for the price of one. Whether it is the misinterpretation of the hustle, recognizing the game, or asking for legitimate funds for child care, the black woman is often seen as a gold digger.

Derived terms

  • gold-dig (verb)

Translations

References

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “gold-digger”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
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