Gothic

1 of 2

adjective

Goth·​ic ˈgä-thik How to pronounce Gothic (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or resembling the Goths, their civilization, or their language
2
a
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of architecture developed in northern France and spreading through western Europe from the middle of the 12th century to the early 16th century that is characterized by the converging of weights and strains at isolated points upon slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by pointed arches and vaulting
Gothic cathedrals
b
: of or relating to an architectural style reflecting the influence of the medieval Gothic
3
often not capitalized : of or relating to a style of fiction characterized by the use of desolate or remote settings and macabre, mysterious, or violent incidents
Gothic novels
gothically adverb
Gothicness noun

Gothic

2 of 2

noun

1
2
: Gothic art style or decoration
specifically : the Gothic architectural style
3
: the East Germanic language of the Goths see Indo-European Languages Table
4
often not capitalized : a novel, film, or play in the gothic style

Examples of Gothic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The resulting, often humorous, battle-of-narrators is a formal distraction of sorts—another layer in a carefully balanced work stacked with modes: Gothic mystery, picaresque adventure, psychological study of grief and loss, environmental fiction, a novel about novels. Nathan Jeffers, Hazlitt, 28 Feb. 2024 It’s been nearly 160 years since the last summer Abraham Lincoln spent living in this 34-room Gothic Revival home. Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 His preferred method of rain protection came in the form of a sweeping gray hooded cloak, which, given the Gothic setting, seemed sartorially appropriate. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2024 Related The Veronicas Set 'Gothic Summer,' Featuring Travis Barker and Goldfinger's John Feldmann 02/20/2024 Paloma Faith has a chance of scoring the title with her sixth album The Glorification of Sadness, new at No. 2 on the chart update. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2024 Ambitious restaurants, world-class galleries and independent boutiques are tucked between Gothic and Art Nouveau architecture and, in the last decade or so, several historic palazzos have been transformed into exceptional boutique hotels. Caitie Kelly Gisela Williams Julekha Dash Catherine Hong Devorah Lev-Tov, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Five years prior, the storied French Gothic castle perched high on Sunset Boulevard had changed hands, coming under new ownership. Myriam Gurba, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 There are so many other great Batman storylines from the 1990s— ‘Venom,’ ‘Gothic,’ ‘The Long Halloween,’ ‘Prey,’ ‘Birth of the Demon,’ ‘No Man’s Land’—to name just some of the standouts. Josh Weiss, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Yale’s campus was substantially rebuilt in the early 1930s in Academy Gothic style. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Gothic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see Goth entry 1

Noun

see Goth entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Gothic was in 1575

Dictionary Entries Near Gothic

Cite this Entry

“Gothic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Gothic. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Gothic

adjective
Goth·​ic
ˈgäth-ik
: relating to or being an old style of architecture (as for churches) having pointed arches, thin tall walls, and large windows
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