zeitgeist
noun
ˈzīt-
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Scholars have long maintained that each era has a unique spirit, a nature or climate that sets it apart from all others. In German, such a spirit is known as Zeitgeist, from the German words Zeit, meaning "time," and Geist, meaning "spirit" or "ghost." (This same Geist, when combined with poltern, meaning "to knock," led to the English word poltergeist referring to a noisy ghost.) It is common nowadays to read about something "tapping into" or "capturing" the zeitgeist, as doing so often entails popularity or profitability in appealing to a great many people, though sometimes the zeitgeist of a particular time and place is only recognized in hindsight, either due to nostalgia or with the benefit of (one hopes) greater wisdom.
Examples of zeitgeist in a Sentence
Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 10 Feb. 2026
All eyes are on beauty, too, as the fall 2026 ready-to-wear shows kick off Wednesday in New York, with industry insiders closely watching not just the hair and makeup looks that come down the runway, but changes in the zeitgeist, as well.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
With access to sprawling libraries on Spotify and Apple Music, consumers are listening to albums and artist catalogs at higher rates, and older artists are more prone to popping back into the zeitgeist.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Far from sparking the locavore revolution, the Obamas’ nutrition program instead attached their brand to the all-natural zeitgeist of the 2010s.
—Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for zeitgeist
Cite this Entry
“Zeitgeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zeitgeist. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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