Gothic

1 of 2

adjective

Goth·​ic ˈgä-thik How to pronounce Gothic (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or resembling the Goths, their civilization, or their language
2
a
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of architecture developed in northern France and spreading through western Europe from the middle of the 12th century to the early 16th century that is characterized by the converging of weights and strains at isolated points upon slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by pointed arches and vaulting
Gothic cathedrals
b
: of or relating to an architectural style reflecting the influence of the medieval Gothic
3
often not capitalized : of or relating to a style of fiction characterized by the use of desolate or remote settings and macabre, mysterious, or violent incidents
Gothic novels
gothically adverb
Gothicness noun

Gothic

2 of 2

noun

1
2
: Gothic art style or decoration
specifically : the Gothic architectural style
3
: the East Germanic language of the Goths see Indo-European Languages Table
4
often not capitalized : a novel, film, or play in the gothic style

Examples of Gothic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Girona Cathedral is truly impressive, with the widest Gothic nave in the world. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 Purvis makes a clever but careful case for combining the Gothic with the paranormal. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025 The Gothic spires of the Salt Lake Temple still stand out against the cluster of modern office buildings that make up the skyline, but the temple has been closed for renovations since December 2019. Carley Thornell, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025 But its most crowd-pleasing structure may be its Gothic law school library, whose gorgeous reading room looks like something from a Harry Potter set. Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for Gothic

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see Goth entry 1

Noun

see Goth entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Gothic was in 1575

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Cite this Entry

“Gothic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Gothic. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

Gothic

adjective
Goth·​ic
ˈgäth-ik
: relating to or being an old style of architecture (as for churches) having pointed arches, thin tall walls, and large windows
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