World Goth Day

Goth by Any Other Name: A Dictionary Tour

While the image of eyeliner and corsets might come to mind first, “goth” actually has a surprisingly rich history in the dictionary.
According to our current stack of dictionaries, “goth” can refer to:

• Historical:
  Originally, “goth” referred to a Germanic tribe who overran the Roman Empire between the 3rd and 5th century AD.
  Apart from the name, their famous attitude, tendency for paganism and accounts of looking pretty awesome, there is little similarity with the modern goth subculture.
• Architecture:
  An architecture style that was in use from the 12th until approximately the 16th century. It is characterized by high pointed arches, intricate stonework and a lot of stained glass. This style was used for the many dramatic looking cathedrals that we still admire today.
  The aesthetics of Gothic churches are a main reason for how the goth subculture got it’s name. And imagine how well the acoustics of the buildings go together with most of the music of the early goth bands.
• Music:
  A style of rock music derived from punk, typically characterized by dark, mournful tones with lyrics that express sad, depressing, or mystical ideas. Or also often deconstructed by using contrasting dissonances between happy and sad elements. (Which is also a common type of goth sense of humor.)
• Fashion Aesthetic:
  Goth fashion favors black and dark colors. The themes are often a bit morbid, mystical, mysterious and of course a touch of ironic or otherwise paradoxical note for fun. The styles vary wildly between expensive looking chic to shabby sober black. Or a mix of chic and shabby to resemble a vampire still wearing their favorite shirt for centuries. (Because, you know, some shirts just get comfier with age.)

With this info update, the next time someone throws around the word “goth” awkwardly, you can impress them with your knowledge of its multitude of definitions!