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Webster 1913 Edition

Gothic

Goth′ic

,
Adj.
[L.
Gothicus
: cf. F.
gothique
.]
1.
Pertaining to the Goths;
as,
Gothic
customs
; also, rude; barbarous.
2.
(Arch.)
Of or pertaining to a style of architecture with pointed arches, steep roofs, windows large in proportion to the wall spaces, and, generally, great height in proportion to the other dimensions – prevalent in Western Europe from about 1200 to 1475
a. d.
See Illust. of
Abacus
, and
Capital
.

Goth′ic

,
Noun.
1.
The language of the Goths; especially, the language of that part of the Visigoths who settled in Moesia in the 4th century. See
Goth
.
☞ Bishop Ulfilas or Walfila translated most of the Bible into Gothic about the Middle of the 4th century. The portion of this translaton which is preserved is the oldest known literary document in any Teutonic language.
2.
A kind of square-cut type, with no hair lines.
☞
This is Nonpareil GOTHIC.
3.
(Arch.)
The style described in
Gothic
,
Adj.
, 2.

Webster 1828 Edition

Gothic

GOTH'IC

,
Adj.
Pertaining to the Goths; as Gothic customs; Gothic architecture; Gothic barbarity.
1.
Rude; ancient.
2.
Barbarous.

GOTH'IC

,
Noun.
The language of the Goths.

Definition 2024

Gothic

Gothic

See also: gothic

English

Alternative forms

Proper noun

Gothic

  1. an extinct Germanic language, once spoken by the Goths

Translations

Adjective

Gothic ‎(comparative more Gothic, superlative most Gothic)

  1. of or relating to the Goths.
  2. barbarous, rude, unpolished, belonging to the "Dark Ages", medieval as opposed to classical.
    "Enormities which gleam like comets through the darkness of gothic and superstitious ages." (Percy Bysshe Shelley in a 1812 letter, Prose Works (1888) II.384, cited after OED)
  3. of or relating to the architectural style favored in western Europe in the 12th to 16th centuries.
  4. of or relating to the style of fictional writing associated with the Gothic revival, emphasizing violent or macabre events in a mysterious, desolate setting.
  5. (typography) in England, of the name of type formerly used to print German, also known as black letter.
  6. (typography) in the USA, of a sans serif typeface using straight, even-width lines, also called grotesque
  7. of or relating to the goth subculture or lifestyle.
    Why is this gothic glam so popular? (New Musical Express 24 December 1983, cited after OED)

Translations

Noun

Gothic ‎(plural Gothics)

  1. A novel written in the Gothic style.
    • 1996, Nora Sayre, Sixties going on seventies (page 180)
      One hundred fifty Gothics sold over 1.5 million copies a month last spring.

Derived terms

See also

  • Wiktionary's coverage of Gothic terms

gothic

gothic

See also: Gothic

English

Adjective

gothic ‎(comparative more gothic, superlative most gothic)

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Gothic
    • 2013 April 9, Andrei Lankov, “Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff.”, in New York Times:
      By now South Koreans understand Pyongyang’s logic and know North Korea is highly unlikely to make good on its gothic threats.

Etymology

Goth +‎ -ic, English from the 17th century, ad Latin gothicus.

The various usages of the adjective are introduced nearly simultaneously in the first half of the 17th century. The literal meaning "of the Goths" is found in the 1611 preface of the King James Bible, in reference to the Gothicke tongue. The generalized meaning of "Germanic, Teutonic" appears in the 1640s. Reference to the medieval period in Western Europe, and specifically the architecture of that period, also appears in the 1640s, as does reference to "Gothic characters" or "Gothic letters" in typography.

Pronunciation

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