L'esprit du temps
Example: L'esprit du temps influence toujours les mouvements artistiques majeurs.
Definition
"L'esprit du temps" refers to the prevailing cultural, intellectual, and social climate or mood characteristic of a particular period in history. It captures the dominant attitudes and ideas that shape the behaviors, art, and thinking of that era.
Etymology
The phrase "l'esprit du temps" comes from French, literally meaning 'the spirit of the time'. It combines "esprit" (spirit or mind) and "temps" (time), reflecting the idea that each era has its own unique guiding mindset or atmosphere. Did you know it is often translated into English as 'zeitgeist', borrowing from German?
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"L'esprit du temps" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 210 commonly used words.
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