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• zeitgeist
  zeitgeist

  noun

  Sometimes Zeitgeist the spirit of the time; the general trend of thought, feeling, or tastes characteristic of a particular period of time.
• Zeitgeist
  Zeitgeist

  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.

zeitgeist

American  

[tsahyt-, zahyt-gahyst] / ˈtsaɪt-, ˈzaɪtˌgaɪst /

noun

1. Sometimes Zeitgeist the spirit of the time; the general trend of thought, feeling, or tastes characteristic of a particular period of time.

   It’s one of those iconic novels that represents the zeitgeist of the mid-1990s so perfectly that reading it provides the ideal dose of nostalgia.

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zeitgeist British  

/ ˈzaɪtˌɡaɪst /

noun

1. the spirit, attitude, or general outlook of a specific time or period, esp as it is reflected in literature, philosophy, etc

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Zeitgeist Cultural  

1. 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.

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Usage

What does zeitgeist mean? The zeitgeist is the collective attitude or outlook of people or a culture at a specific point in time. Zeitgeist can be used in discussion of the current moment, a narrow period of time  in the past, or a broader period or era. Literature and other media are sometimes said to express the Zeitgeist of the time they were created in or of a past period of time. The word is capitalized in its original language, German, and is sometimes capitalized in English (Zeitgeist). Example: The zeitgeist at the time was a feeling that anything was possible.

Etymology

Origin of zeitgeist

First recorded in 1840–50; from German Zeitgeist, equivalent to Zeit “time, age, epoch” + Geist “spirit, mind, intellect”; cf. tide ¹ ( def. ), ghost ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

zeitgeist Zeitgeist

Every few years, a new, elite form of hydration seizes the zeitgeist.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Schneider argued that football - which is regarded as a "foreign import" by many Americans - is never going to be in the zeitgeist like American football or basketball.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

When betting on the artificial-intelligence trade outpaces gains in the world’s biggest digital currency by more than 200%, you know you’re witnessing a sea change in the global investment zeitgeist.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 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.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

And this active province of Béarn kept pace; it opened quickly to the new influences, was alive to the changing zeitgeist.

From A Midsummer Drive Through the Pyrenees by Dix, Edwin Asa

The result is Zeitgeist Films’ “Taking Venice,” which will have its theatrical release next month in New York and Los Angeles.

From New York Times ● Apr. 19, 2024

The film’s carefulness to avoid running afoul of the Zeitgeist may have come at a cost of sheer cinematic delight, as suggested by some of the reviews.

From Washington Times ● May 25, 2023

The group's brands are known for "capturing the Zeitgeist" noted Solca, who said Gucci's past success was "the most impressive turnaround story in luxury history."

From Reuters ● Jan. 13, 2023

IF: Just for the record, Zeitgeist is my white whale, and this essay is just the tip of the iceberg.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2022

Is it purely a matter of Zeitgeist, or is there some sensible explanation?

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt