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
Chicago Tribune, 28 July 2025
Hogan began his professional wrestling career in 1977 and featured prominently in World Wrestling Federation (now known as WWE), World Championship Wrestling and Impact Wrestling but it his was run with the WWE in the 1980s that propelled him and the company to the cultural zeitgeist.
—Stephanie Guerilus, ABC News, 24 July 2025
But if your goal is to build something that will matter, something that will be part of the cultural zeitgeist, shape narratives, and spark conversations.
—Kenneth J. Williams Jr, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
In 2001, social theorist bell hooks warned about the dangers of a loveless zeitgeist.
—Aarushi Bhandari, The Conversation, 14 July 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 6 Aug. 2025.
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