zeitgeist

noun

zeit·​geist ˈtsīt-ˌgīst  ˈzīt- 

variants often Zeitgeist

: 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

Award speeches in the MAGA age have become a place to make statements, to normalize a zeitgeist, to flood the zone with so many calls for sympathy and equality Ted Cruz is drowning in them. —Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026

At their best, Super Bowl ads often capture something in the zeitgeist, sparking conversations or amplifying trends. —Diane Brady, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026

While Saturday Night Live seized the zeitgeist south of the border, O’Hara joined the cast of its Canadian counterpart, SCTV. —Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026

Barrel-leg jeans came into the zeitgeist just a few years ago as a funky denim trend with questionable longevity. —Andrea Bossi, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026

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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!