goth
/ɡɒθ/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡɑːθ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgäth/ (ame, mw)
goth — noun
- gothsingular
- gothsplural
1. a young person who is part of a fashion and music movement that began in the ear
a young person who is part of a fashion and music movement that began in the early 1980s, typically wearing black clothes, white face makeup, and dark lipstick, and listening to a dark style of rock music
Theo has been a goth since he was fourteen and loves going to darkwave concerts.
collocation: 'been a goth' — describing identity
A group of goths were hanging out near the station, all in black with silver jewelry.
My cousin Mei-Lin dressed as a goth for the party, complete with black lipstick and lace gloves.
The documentary followed several young goths in Leipzig as they prepared for a music festival.
Klara often gets mistaken for a goth because she wears black clothes, but she actually listens to classical music.
- darkwave fan
narrower — refers specifically to fans of dark electronic music, not the whole subculture
用法筆記
Countable noun: 'a goth', 'a group of goths'. Not to be confused with noun sense 3 (the ancient Germanic people), though the subculture name historically derives from it.
常見錯誤
2. a style of rock music that became popular in the early 1980s, with deep vocals,
a style of rock music that became popular in the early 1980s, with deep vocals, heavy bass lines, and lyrics about dark subjects such as death, sadness, and mysterious things
The band played a mix of punk and goth that filled the dark club with energy.
mix of punk and goth — genre blending
Jiawei discovered goth in high school and started listening to bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Goth became popular in the early 1980s, with its deep vocals and heavy use of synthesizers.
The radio station plays goth every Friday night, featuring both old classics and new artists.
At the record store, Yuna found a rare vinyl of her favourite goth album from 1984.
- gothic rock
full term; 'goth' is the short form used in everyday speech
- darkwave
a related but slightly different subgenre, more electronic and atmospheric
用法筆記
Used as an uncountable noun ('plays goth', 'a mix of punk and goth'). Distinguish from noun sense 1: 'goth' as a music genre vs. 'a goth' as a person.
3. a member of a group of people from northern Europe in ancient times who attacked
a member of a group of people from northern Europe in ancient times who attacked and invaded the Roman Empire and played a part in its fall
The class learned how the Goths crossed the Danube into Roman lands in the 4th century.
An archaeologist discovered a Goth burial site in Ukraine containing weapons and jewellery.
Goth burial site — archaeological context
The history book describes how the Goths split into two groups, the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths.
Dr. Okonkwo's class studied the migration routes of the ancient Goths across Europe.
The museum showed a Gothic helmet and shield from when the Goths fought the Romans.
- Visigoth
one branch of the Goths; not interchangeable with the whole group
- Ostrogoth
the other main branch of the Goths
- Germanic tribe
broader category; the Goths were one of many Germanic tribes
用法筆記
Usually used in the plural ('the Goths') referring to the whole people. The singular 'a Goth' describes one individual. Often capitalised as 'Goth' in historical writing, but lowercase is also common.
常見錯誤
goth — adjective
- gothpositive
- gothercomparative
- gothestsuperlative
1. relating to goth music, a dark style of rock that began in the late 1970s and wa
relating to goth music, a dark style of rock that began in the late 1970s and was especially popular in the 1980s, with lyrics about dark or emotional subjects
The club played goth music all night, with songs by The Cure and Bauhaus blending together.
goth music — noun-modifier pattern
Chidi wore a black band T-shirt and knew every lyric to every goth song on the playlist.
The goth scene in 1980s Manchester produced some of the most influential bands of the genre.
Diego's roommate complained about the sad goth melodies coming from his headphones at night.
- gothic
used interchangeably but 'gothic' is less common for the music; 'gothic' also describes architecture, literature, and typefaces
用法筆記
Used before nouns ('goth music', 'goth scene', 'goth band'). Always lowercase in the adjectival use. Do not confuse with 'Gothic' meaning the architectural or literary style.
2. having the typical appearance of the Goth subculture, especially wearing mostly
having the typical appearance of the Goth subculture, especially wearing mostly black clothes, dark makeup, and accessories such as silver jewellery, lace, or leather
Valentina wore a goth outfit — black velvet dress, leather boots, dark makeup — to the concert.
goth outfit — clothing style
The magazine featured a photo shoot of goth fashion with models in corsets and lace.
A small goth shop near the university sells black jewellery, band patches, and platform boots.
Shira's goth look — pale face, dark lipstick, spiked collar — surprised her relatives at the reunion.
用法筆記
Distinguish from the 'MUSIC STYLE' sense: this sense describes visual appearance (clothes, makeup, accessories), not the sound or lyrics. A band may be 'goth' in music style without having a 'goth look'.
goth — abbreviation
1. a short written form of the word 'Gothic', used in informal contexts to describe
a short written form of the word 'Gothic', used in informal contexts to describe things related to Gothic architecture, literature, or art
The book was labelled 'Goth Lit' in the library, meaning Gothic literature from the nineteenth century.
Goth Lit — written abbreviation for Gothic Literature
Nadia wrote 'goth' next to the building on the tour map, meaning the architecture was Gothic style.
用法筆記
Most common in labels and notes ('Goth Lit', 'Goth arch'). In formal writing, use the full word 'Gothic' instead.