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
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025
Vara has a congenial style and, her nose to the zeitgeist, good stories to tell.
—Dwight Garner, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley stretch of the Sonoran Desert, Coachella is one of the most influential music events on the calendar — and can sometimes tease what’s forthcoming in the zeitgeist.
—Maria Sherman, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2025
Even across the international brands that will be more familiar to passengers, ARI has brought in some new names that capture the current zeitgeist such as Charlotte Tilbury, Le Labo, Sol de Janeiro, and Creed (which is exclusively available in the airport and not yet in the local market).
—Kevin Rozario, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zeitgeist
Cite this Entry
“Zeitgeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zeitgeist. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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