Where does “zeitgeist” come from?
Zeitgeist comes from German Zeitgeist, composed of German Zeit and Middle High German geist, derived from Old High German geist, from Proto-Germanic gaistaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeysd-.
zeitgeist (English): The spirit of the age; the taste, outlook, and...
Definitions
- The spirit of the age; the taste, outlook, and...
Ancestry of “zeitgeist”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | German | Zeitgeist | spirit of the age; zeitgeist |
| 2 | German | Zeit | time; time of day; period, era |
| 3 | Middle High German | zīt | time |
| 4 | Old High German | zīt | time |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | déh₂itis | interval, period of time |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂y- | to share, divide |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂- | to share, divide |
Words derived from “zeitgeist”