Zeitgeist

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Zeit·geist

also zeit·geist (tsīt′gīst′, zīt′-)

The spirit of the time; the taste and outlook characteristic of a period or generation: "A new cult of technological optimism has deeply embedded itself in the zeitgeist" (Sebastian Seung).

[German : Zeit, time (from Middle High German zīt, from Old High German; see dā- in Indo-European roots) + Geist, spirit; see poltergeist.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

zeitgeist

(ˈzaɪtˌɡaɪst)

(Historical Terms) the spirit, attitude, or general outlook of a specific time or period, esp as it is reflected in literature, philosophy, etc

[C20: from German, literally: time spirit; see tide¹, ghost]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

zeit•geist

(ˈtsaɪtˌgaɪst)

n.

the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time.

zeitgeist

A German word meaning time spirit, used to mean the spirit of the age.

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Noun

Zeitgeist - the spirit of the time; the spirit characteristic of an age or generation

flavor, flavour, feel, spirit, smell, feeling, look, tone - the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people; "the feel of the city excited him"; "a clergyman improved the tone of the meeting"; "it had the smell of treason"

Translations

Zeitgeist

zeitgeist

[ˈzaɪtgaɪst] n → air m du temps

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Zeitgeist

n → Zeitgeist m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

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References in periodicals archive ?

Synopsis: The zeitgeist is a concept from 18th- to 19th-century German philosophy, meaning "spirit of the age" or "spirit of the times".

Navigating the Zeitgeist

Zeitgeist - How Ideas Travel: Politics, Culture, and the Public in the Age of Revolution

Italian novelist Alessandro Barbero masterfully re-creates the Zeitgeist of Gorbachev's Russia through an array of carefully crafted and dynamic characters.

Alessandro Barbero. The Anonymous Novel

With the tagline, "Our words draw pictures; our pictures pen narratives," Picture This Post brings a fresh you-are-there perspective to travel reports, entertainment reviews (music, theater, dance, art, museums, film), and social and political commentary capturing the zeitgeist of our times.

Picture This Post (www.PictureThisPost.com) --- Chicago's Newest Travel, Entertainment and Commentary Zine Launched

Zeitgeist 77's track Good Morning Teesside is the latest from the "melodic punk" outfit which, since forming five years ago, has regularly banged the drum for our area.

High-flying band focuses on its roots

HAVE you ever been part of the zeitgeist? If you're not sure what that means let me enlighten you - it means the spirit of the time.

Betamax is still alive - but only just

The former strategy chief and cabinet minister - who last month declined to positively endorse the party leader - said he had confounded his critics and found the national "Zeitgeist".

Miliband has exceeded my expectations - Mandelson

The Zeitgeist got into zeppelins that went around the world, upside down, belly up.

Goodyear

But that's the challenge taken on at the fourth annual Zeitgeist International Festival and Symposium, May 10-12, where the focus will be "Participatory Theatre: The Intersection of Theatre and Social Action." The three-day event, scheduled to take place at the GoetheInstitut, partners with the Zeitgeist Literary Group, Georgetown University's Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, Shakespeare Theatre Company and Studio Theatre.

Catch the Spirit

Google announced its annual Year End Zeitgeist (German for 'In the Spirit of the Times), a look at 2013 through the collective eyes of the world on the web, offering a unique perspective on the year's major events and hottest trends based on searches conducted in Pakistan.

Google's Top Searches in 2013

Its annual Google Zeitgeist charts is a comprehensive look at Google searches around the world.