zeitgeist

noun

zeit·​geist ˈtsīt-ˌgīst How to pronounce zeitgeist (audio) ˈzīt- How to pronounce zeitgeist (audio)
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 other epochs. In German, such a spirit is known as Zeitgeist, from the German words Zeit, meaning "time," and Geist, meaning "spirit" or "ghost."

Examples of zeitgeist in a Sentence

His songs perfectly captured the zeitgeist of 1960s America.
Recent Examples on the Web Loewe’s blue-and-red striped polo shirt, first spotted on Rihanna and Hailey Bieber last spring, may have brought the sporty-chic look back into the zeitgeist, but thanks to a handful of labels as varied as Aimé Leon Dore, Wales Bonner, and Gucci, the preppy top has only continued to evolve. Kerry Pieri, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2024 This enduring appeal underscores a cultural zeitgeist where fame and expertise blend to create products that resonate with consumers on a personal level. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 At $7 million a pop, Super Bowl ads provide a unique window into the business zeitgeist of the moment. Alan Murray, Fortune, 12 Feb. 2024 This happens all the time where suddenly an idea will be in the zeitgeist and then everyone is writing a volcano movie or whatever. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2024 The Balenciaga creative director has proven himself one of the most adept and blunt bottlers of our zeitgeist for the past decade, and his artistic interpretations are among the most polarizing and debated in fashion. Nathan Taylor Pemberton, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2024 Indeed, country signifiers are creeping into the popular zeitgeist. Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 The Line was the last in the series, and, despite its moment in the cultural zeitgeist, the game was considered a financial failure for the company. Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 12 Feb. 2024 Ryan’s hair — which dominated ‘90s beauty culture — made its way back into the zeitgeist when the star appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers at the end of October. Andrea Lavinthal, Peoplemag, 15 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zeitgeist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

German, from Zeit + Geist spirit

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zeitgeist was in 1835

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Dictionary Entries Near zeitgeist

Cite this Entry

“Zeitgeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zeitgeist. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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