Skip to content

Zeitgeist

spirit of the age, prevailing mood of an era

noun TSAIT-gaist Rare
Time Time Expressions

Origin: German compound used internationally since the 19th century

Usage Note

Zeitgeist describes the dominant intellectual and cultural climate of a period. It is used in German as a straightforward compound noun, while in English it has been borrowed directly. Often appears in discussions of trends, art, or politics: der Zeitgeist der 1960er Jahre.

Examples

"Das Album traf den Zeitgeist und wurde ein riesiger Erfolg."

Natural Translation

The album captured the spirit of the age and became a huge success.

Literal Translation

The album hit the time-spirit and became a huge success.

Explore German by topic