Word
goth
Phoneticsgoth
US/ˈɡɑθ/
UK/ɡˈɒθ/
Definitions
01subculture member
n. a person who belongs to a group that often wears black clothes, uses dark makeup, and listens to gothic rock music.
n. a member of a subculture that emerged from post-punk, characterized by a dark aesthetic and an interest in mournful or romanticized themes.
“She started dressing as a goth in high school, wearing black lace and heavy eyeliner.”
“The local club hosted a night specifically for goths, playing a mix of eighties post-punk and modern darkwave tracks.”
Informal
02the subculture itself
n. the music and fashion style associated with the goth group.
n. the subculture or musical genre itself, often used uncountably to describe the aesthetic or movement.
“He has been into goth since he first heard bands like The Cure.”
“The documentary explores the evolution of goth from its punk roots to its influence on modern high fashion.”
Informal
Synonyms
04relating to the subculture
adj. describing something that belongs to or looks like the goth style.
adj. pertaining to the goth subculture, its music, or its characteristic fashion.
“She loves that goth look with the silver jewellery and dark velvet.”
“The band's early albums had a very goth sound, featuring heavy basslines and gloomy lyrics.”
Informal
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English Gothes, Gotes (both plural). In turn partly from Old English Gotan, singular Gota, and partly from Late Latin Gothi. Ultimately from Proto-Germanic gutô, perhaps from geutaną (“to pour”). Compare Old Norse Goti (“Gotlander, Goth”), and related also to Gutnish, Gotland.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/goth