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
Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 25 May 2026
All three companies tapped into a zeitgeist, but appear to have forgotten that products have to offer consumers more than a feeling of virtuousness to build an enduring business.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 23 May 2026
The post-war zeitgeist also began putting them further and further out of favor as a preferred educational choice of some American parents for their sons.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
Evidence that men’s health is very much in the political zeitgeist can be found in the fact that the State of Men’s Health Act was born without a deliberate effort.
—Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for zeitgeist
Cite this Entry
“Zeitgeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zeitgeist. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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