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
Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, some existing brands are being reinvented to adapt to current trends, including ones that formerly were part of the cultural zeitgeist and have fallen a bit out of fashion.
—Chris Dong, AFAR Media, 13 Feb. 2025
That makes the Big Game an increasingly valuable place for advertisers to tap into the cultural zeitgeist.
—Sara Fischer, Axios, 11 Feb. 2025
The reason for the collective amnesia regarding the first film is that the 'new and improved' Rambo suggested not simply an updating of the character but a fearless new zeitgeist, one in which the prospect of American victory would never be doubted or questioned.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 10 Feb. 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 3 Mar. 2025.
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