Zeitgeist
[ tsahyt-gahyst ]
/ ˈtsaɪtˌgaɪst /
noun German.
the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time.
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British Dictionary definitions for zeitgeist
zeitgeist
/ (ˈzaɪtˌɡaɪst) /
noun
the spirit, attitude, or general outlook of a specific time or period, esp as it is reflected in literature, philosophy, etc
Word Origin for zeitgeist
C20: from German, literally: time spirit; see tide 1, ghost
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Cultural definitions for zeitgeist
Zeitgeist
[ (tseyt-geyst, zeyt-geyst) ]
The general moral, intellectual, and cultural climate of an era; Zeitgeist is German for “time-spirit.” For example, the Zeitgeist of England in the Victorian period included a belief in industrial progress, and the Zeitgeist of the 1980s in the United States was a belief in the power of money and the many ways in which to spend it.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
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