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
J.d. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
28 June 2026
Players should engage in the zeitgeist, concerts, cultural events and sports, all to create authentic connections with consumers.
—
Joe Bobowicz,
Vogue,
25 June 2026
Lisa, as the world has come to know her, is one of the four members of Blackpink, the record-breaking, zeitgeist-altering girl group introduced in 2016 that is largely responsible for ushering South Korean pop, K-pop, into the global mainstream.
—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
23 June 2026
There was a zeitgeist of people coming together to watch.
—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 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 6 Jul. 2026.
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