What does "goth" mean?
A punk-derived subculture of people who predominantly dress in black, associated with mournful music and attitudes.
Goth
/ɡɑθ/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A punk-derived subculture of people who predominantly dress in black, associated with mournful music and attitudes.
- Grammar: goth is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: animal, barbarian, boor, brooding.
- Useful contrasts: Roman, bright, cheerful.
- Usage evidence: I'd go to the goth club more often, but my outfits are depressingly cheerful, not cheerfully depressing.
How to use "goth"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "goth" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "goth" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "goth" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "goth" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "goth" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "animal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "goth", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A punk-derived subculture of people who predominantly dress in black, associated with mournful music and attitudes. uncountable
"I think that goth could flower in nerdcore's embrace. I converted Edward Gorey's lettering into a typeface, befriended vampires on LJ and MySpace, even put that spooky echo filter on the bass[…]"
- 2 A member of the East Germanic people known for their invasion of the western Roman Empire and subsequent founding of successor states in Italy and Spain during Late Antiquity. countable, uncountable
- 3 one of the Teutonic people who invaded the Roman Empire in the 3rd to 5th centuries wordnet
- 4 A style of punk rock influenced by glam rock; gothic rock. uncountable
- 5 An uncivilized person, a barbarian, a vandal. countable, figuratively, uncountable
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement wordnet
- 7 A person who is part of the goth subculture. countable
"And how come you never see goths driving cars? We drive cars... We're just like you really, except that we listen to Cradle of Filth."
- 8 Alternative form of goth (“member of gothic subculture; or the subculture itself”). alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable
"For most Mansonites, Goth is only a phase, and their fashion and outlook on life change alongside Marilyn Manson's."
- 9 Rare form of Goth. form-of, rare
"At Madras we arriv’d in the height of confuſion, / A ſcene all occaſion’d by Hyder’s intruſion; / A goth-like invader! who doth us all keep / Penn’d up in a fort, like a ſcar’d flock of ſheep; […]"
Adjective
- 1 Relating to goth music or people.
"With her black clothes and dyed hair, Melanie looked very goth compared to her classmates."
- 2 Alternative form of goth. alt-of, alternative
"Kayla's look tended to change with the seasons; at the moment it was less Goth than paramilitary, with laced jump boots."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname
Example
"I'd go to the goth club more often, but my outfits are depressingly cheerful, not cheerfully depressing."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "goth"?
Common synonyms include: animal, barbarian, boor, brooding, brute, churl.
How do you use "goth" in a sentence?
I'd go to the goth club more often, but my outfits are depressingly cheerful, not cheerfully depressing.
How do you pronounce "goth"?
Pronounced /ɡɑθ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From gothic rock, first used by John Stickney in reference to The Doors in 1967 and used by the late 1970s to describe the musical scene that gave rise to the goth subculture, both from a supposed aesthetic similarity to dark and moody 19th century gothic fiction and earlier gothic art and architecture, 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).
Etymology 2
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.