Gilt-edge Investments

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

A phrase introduced in the last quarter of the 19th century to denote securities of the most reliable character, such as Consols and other Government and Colon- ial stock, first mortgages, debentures, and shares in first-rate companies, etc.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “Gilt-edge Investments” mean?

A phrase introduced in the last quarter of the 19th century to denote securities of the most reliable character, such as Consols and other Government and Colon- ial stock, first mortgages, debentures, and shares in first-rate companies, etc.

Is “Gilt-edge Investments” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.