# Gothic

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈɡɒθ.ɪk/ · frequency rank #12,056

## Definitions
1. An extinct Germanic language, once spoken by the Goths.
2. Certain moths of the family Noctuidae.
3. A particular species of moth of the family Noctuidae, Naenia typica.

## Etymology
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). Equivalent to Goth + -ic. The various usages of the adjective are introduced nearly simultaneously in the first half of the 17th century. The literal meaning “of the Goths” is found in the 1611 preface of the King James Bible, in reference to the Gothicke tongue. The generalized meaning of “Germanic, Teutonic” appears in the 1640s. Reference to the medieval period in Western Europe, and specifically the architecture of that period (“barbaric style”, initially a term of abuse), also appears in the 1640s, as does reference to “Gothic characters” or “Gothic letters” in typography.

## Easily confused with
- **Goths** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gothic-vs-goths)
- **Gotti** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gothic-vs-gotti)
- **goth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goth-vs-gothic)
- **Gotham** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gotham-vs-gothic)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ggothic`, `gohtic`, `gothci`, `gothhic`, `gothicc`, `gotihc`, `gotthic`, `gtohic`, `ogthic`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/gothic