Gothic

noun

1

a

: black letter

b

: sans serif

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 gothic : a novel, film, or play in the gothic style

Examples of Gothic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

American Gothic Antiques is the best place to step back in time, with a labyrinth of connected rooms showcasing vintage glassware, books, toys, and artwork. —Caroline Eubanks, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026

The model was regionalist Grant Wood, of recent American Gothic (1930) fame, who ran the PWAP in Iowa and painted glossy murals of ruddy farmers and pristine haylofts for Iowa State University. —John P. Murphy, ARTnews.com, 5 Apr. 2026

Nordhoff Street from Petit Avenue to Gothic Avenue. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026

In the 1920s and ’30s, American Regionalist painter Grant Wood, best known for his work American Gothic, lived here. —Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see Goth entry 1

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing Gothic

• Gothic arch
• Gothic Revival
• neo-Gothic
• steamboat Gothic

Rhymes for Gothic

• hypothec

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