Gothic
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈɡɒθ.ɪk/
ipa: /ˈɡɑ.θɪk/
rhymes: -ɒθɪk
Forms: form: more Gothic
form: most Gothic
form: gothic
form: Gothick
form: goffick
Etymology: From Late Latin gothicus (“Gothic, barbaric”), from Ancient Greek Γοτθικός (Gotthikós), from Ancient Greek Γότθοι (Gótthoi, “Goths”) + -ικός (-ikós, “-ic”), proposed to derive from unattested Gothic *𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌰 (*guta). Equivalent to Goth + -ic. 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 (“barbaric style”, initially a term of abuse), also appears in the 1640s, as does reference to “Gothic characters” or “Gothic letters” in typography.
Senses: glosses: Of or relating to the Goths or their language.
examples: text: “[W]hat he holds of all things to be most gothic, is gallantry to the women.”
ref: 1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, II.iii.6:
text: Enormities which gleam like comets through the darkness of gothic and superstitious ages.
ref: 1812 letter, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Prose Works, volume II, quoted in OED, published 1888, page 384:
synonyms: barbarous
medieval
rude
unpolished
antonyms: classical
glosses: Barbarous, rude, unpolished, belonging to the “Dark Ages”, medieval as opposed to classical.
examples: text: Gothic arches
text: Or does the L.C.C. [London County Council] dislike nineteenth century Gothic?
ref: 1944 January and February, C. F. Cobon, “The County of London Plan”, in Railway Magazine, page 24:
text: The Gothic style did not cease to exist: it did, however, cease to be all-powerful, and it almost ceased to create new forms. Gothic architects had by this time drawn every possible conclusion from the premises which had been laid down […]
ref: 2000, Paul Frankl, Paul Crossley, Gothic Architecture, Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 258:
topics: architecture
coordinate_terms: Romanesque
Baroque
glosses: Of or relating to the architectural style favored in Western Europe in the 12th to 16th centuries, with high-pointed arches, clustered columns, etc.
examples: text: Gothic tales
text: Shelley's two early novels Zastrozzi and St. Irvyne are, as many scholars have noted, obviously connected to the tradition of the Gothic novel; as well, two volumes of early poetry contain Gothic elements and his tragedy The Cenci has been […]
ref: 1975, John V. Murphy, The Dark Angel: Gothic Elements in Shelley's Works, Bucknell University Press, →ISBN, page 9:
topics: literature
media
publishing
glosses: Of or relating to the style of fictional writing associated with Gothic fiction, emphasizing violent or macabre events in a mysterious, desolate setting.
examples: text: Gothic letters
topics: media
publishing
typography
glosses: Synonym of black letter.
synonyms: word: black letter
topics: media
publishing
typography
glosses: Of a sans serif typeface using straight, even-width lines, also known as grotesque or lineal.
examples: text: Gothic rock
text: Gothic dress
text: Why is this gothic glam so popular?
ref: 1983 December 24, “OED”, in New Musical Express:
synonyms: goth
coordinate_terms: punk
post-punk
industrial
glosses: Of or relating to the goth subculture, music or lifestyle.
Synonyms: Gothish
Derived terms: goth
gothic rock
Mesogothic
Moesogothic
neo-Gothic
neogothic
Suio-Gothic
Visigothic