gidas

Gidas is a Lithuanian noun meaning "guide." It denotes a person who leads, informs, and directs others in a variety of settings, most commonly a tour guide who explains sites, artifacts, or routes to a group. The feminine form is gidė and the plural gidai; used in compounds such as kelionės gidas (travel guide) or muziejaus gidas (museum guide). In natural contexts, a gidas can also be a field guide or a person who facilitates activities.

The word is native to Lithuanian and has cognates in related Baltic languages; for example, Latvian uses gids as the corresponding term for "guide." The usage spans tourism, education, and cultural institutions, where a gidas provides information, answers questions, and helps interpret objects or landscapes.

In contemporary Lithuania, the profession is supported by training programs and professional associations that help develop linguistic and subject knowledge, guiding standards, and safety practices. Guides may work independently or for travel agencies, museums, or cultural venues. The term also appears in everyday speech to describe someone who guides others through a process or experience, not exclusively in the travel context.

Gidas is generally neutral and descriptive, without connotations of authority or status beyond the role of guiding. It is a common term in Lithuanian-language texts about tourism, education, and cultural heritage.