Gothic has 12 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Adjective · Proper Noun
extinct East Germanic language of the ancient Goths; the only surviving record being fragments of a 4th-century translation of the Bible by Bishop Ulfilas
"The gothic language is known primarily through fragmented copies of Bishop Ulfilas's 4th-century Bible translation."
a heavy typeface in use from 15th to 18th centuries
"The old book was printed using gothic typeface, which gave it a stark and angular appearance."
a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches
"The cathedral's towering spires and flying buttresses exemplify the gothic architectural style that flourished in northern France from the 12th to the 16th centuries."
A novel written in the Gothic style.
"Her latest publication is a gothic novel filled with crumbling castles and supernatural suspense."
In plain English: Gothic is something that looks scary, dark, and old-fashioned, often featuring ruined castles or gloomy settings from medieval times.
"The tourists gathered in front of the gothic cathedral to take photos under its towering spires."
characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German
"The title page featured bold, gothic lettering that was difficult to read without a guide."
Of or relating to the Goths or their language.
"The manuscript was written in an alternative letter-case form of Gothic known as Blackletter."
Alternative letter-case form of Gothic
In plain English: Gothic describes something dark, spooky, and full of gloomy castles or scary stories from long ago.
"The gothic architecture of the old cathedral featured tall spires and pointed arches."
An extinct Germanic language, once spoken by the Goths.
"The scholar spent years deciphering texts written in ancient Gothic to understand early Germanic linguistic structures."
The word "gothic" comes from Late Latin gothicus, which originally meant "Gothic" or "barbaric" and referred specifically to things related to the Germanic Goths tribe. It entered English in the early 1600s with this literal sense, notably appearing in a preface for the King James Bible describing the Gothic language.