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Gothic vs Medieval - What's the difference?

gothic | medieval |

As adjectives the difference between gothic and medieval

is that gothic is of or relating to the Goths while medieval is of or relating to the Middle Ages, the period from about 500 to about 1500.

As nouns the difference between gothic and medieval

is that gothic is a novel written in the Gothic style while medieval is someone living in the Middle Ages.

As a proper noun Gothic

is an extinct Germanic language, once spoken by the Goths.

gothic

English

(Gothic language)

Alternative forms

* Gothick (obsolete)

Proper noun

(en proper noun)
  • an extinct Germanic language, once spoken by the Goths
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • of or relating to the Goths.
  • barbarous, rude, unpolished, belonging to the "Dark Ages", medieval as opposed to classical.
  • "Enormities which gleam like comets through the darkness of gothic and superstitious ages." (Percy Bysshe Shelley in a 1812 letter, Prose Works (1888) II.384, cited after OED)
  • of or relating to the architectural style favored in western Europe in the 12th to 16th centuries.
  • of or relating to the style of fictional writing associated with the Gothic revival, emphasizing violent or macabre events in a mysterious, desolate setting.
  • (typography) in England, of the name of type formerly used to print German, also known as black letter .
  • (typography) in the USA, of a sans serif typeface using straight, even-width lines, also called grotesque
  • of or relating to the goth subculture or lifestyle.
  • Why is this gothic glam so popular? (New Musical Express 24 December 1983, cited after OED)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A novel written in the Gothic style.
  • * 1996 , Nora Sayre, Sixties going on seventies (page 180)
  • One hundred fifty Gothics sold over 1.5 million copies a month last spring.

    Derived terms

    * goth * Goth * gothic * neogothic * Mesogothic * Moesogothic * Suio-Gothic * Visigothic

    See also

    * (got)

    medieval

    English

    Alternative forms

    * mediaeval, (used for archaizing effect although non-contemporary), medireview (autocorrected misspelling)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of or relating to the Middle Ages, the period from about 500 to about 1500.
  • Having characteristics associated with the Middle Ages.
  • Archaic.
  • Brutal.
  • *
  • *
  • Derived terms

    * medievaldom * medievalism * medievalist * medievalize * medireview

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Someone living in the Middle Ages.
  • A medieval example (of something aforementioned or understood from context).
  • * Thank God for modern remedies, the medievals were often useless or even harmful.