Pronunciation guide
How to pronounce zeitgeist
ZYTE-gyste - two syllables; both 'ei' pairs say 'eye'
US/ˈzaɪtˌɡaɪst/
zaɪtɡaɪst
UK/ˈzaɪtˌɡaɪst/
zaɪtɡaɪst
New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.
Common mistake
Both 'ei's are 'eye' - 'ZYTE-gyste', not 'ZEET-geest'.
What “zeitgeist” means
The spirit of the age; the taste, outlook, and spirit characteristic of a period.
In a sentence
- The film captured the zeitgeist of the early internet era.
- Her novel tapped into the zeitgeist of post-war anxiety.
Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.