zeitgeist

[tsahyt-, zahyt-gahyst]

noun

1. Sometimes Zeitgeist the spirit of the time; the general trend of thought, feeling, or tastes characteristic of a particular period of time.

   It’s one of those iconic novels that represents the zeitgeist of the mid-1990s so perfectly that reading it provides the ideal dose of nostalgia.

zeitgeist

/ ˈzaɪtˌɡaɪst /

noun

1. the spirit, attitude, or general outlook of a specific time or period, esp as it is reflected in literature, philosophy, etc

Zeitgeist

1. The general moral, intellectual, and cultural climate of an era; Zeitgeist is German for “time-spirit.” For example, the Zeitgeist of England in the Victorian period included a belief in industrial progress, and the Zeitgeist of the 1980s in the United States was a belief in the power of money and the many ways in which to spend it.

Word History and Origins

Origin of zeitgeist¹

First recorded in 1840–50; from German Zeitgeist, equivalent to Zeit “time, age, epoch” + Geist “spirit, mind, intellect”; tide ¹ ( def. ), ghost ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of zeitgeist¹

C20: from German, literally: time spirit; see _tide ¹ , _ghost

Example Sentences

I didn’t want to find out that what I thought was a terrific comedy was actually the product of a particular New York zeitgeist and an era of Hollywood moviemaking that’s long gone.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Well, as the years dragged on, it became clear that Pod Save America lacked a certain renegade spirit necessary to preside over the rapidly morphing zeitgeist.

Read more on Slate

I’ve always felt that Tina Fey has got this finger on the zeitgeist, which makes sense from all of her years on “SNL.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Today’s anti-business zeitgeist says no.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Reading the zeitgeist, the creators of “All’s Fair” were clearly not looking for raves or awards, just viewers.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does zeitgeist mean?

The zeitgeist is the collective attitude or outlook of people or a culture at a specific point in time.Zeitgeist can be used in discussion of the current moment, a narrow period of time  in the past, or a broader period or era. Literature and other media are sometimes said to express the Zeitgeist of the time they were created in or of a past period of time. The word is capitalized in its original language, German, and is sometimes capitalized in English (Zeitgeist).Example: The zeitgeist at the time was a feeling that anything was possible.