word
German
Zeitgeist
/ˈzaɪtɡaɪst/
lit. “spirit of the time”
The defining mood, ideas, or anxieties of a particular era.
Origin
Used by German philosophers including Herder and Hegel in the late 18th and early 19th centuries to name the prevailing spirit of an age. It crossed into English in the 19th century and never left.
Modern usage
A staple of cultural criticism, trend reporting, and product marketing. 'Capturing the zeitgeist' is the standard compliment for a hit show, app, or essay.
In the wild
The film perfectly captured the late-2010s zeitgeist.— film criticism
Tags
culture
era