zeitgeist

noun

zeit·​geist ˈtsīt-ˌgīst  ˈzīt- 

often capitalized

: the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era

Did you know?

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

His songs perfectly captured the zeitgeist of 1960s America.

Recent Examples on the Web

For 115 years, WWD has not just reported on the fashion industry and observed the zeitgeist revolving around it, but has captured some of the most quotable moments from the voices who kept fashion and culture interesting. —Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025

What Studies Show Kennedy's connection between violence and video games is an argument that has been around for decades, becoming more part of the zeitgeist as gun violence and mass shootings have remained consistent in the United States. —Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025

Over time, Newell seems to have considered almost every aspect of the zombie zeitgeist. —Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025

Is the fuss really worth it, still, in what seems like a new turning point on synthetic dyes in the American zeitgeist? —Alina Selyukh, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

German, from Zeit + Geist spirit

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for zeitgeist

• enticed
• sufficed
• antichrist
• overpriced
• poltergeist
• sacrificed
• diced
• feist
• heist
• iced
• lysed
• priced

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