gothic

1. (figuratively) Barbarous, rude, unpolished, belonging to the “Dark Ages”, medieval as opposed to classical.Examples: "“[W]hat he holds of all things to be most gothic, is gallantry to the women.”"; "Enormities which gleam like comets through the darkness of gothic and superstitious ages."Synonyms: barbarous, medieval, rude, unpolishedAntonyms: classicalfiguratively

2. (architecture) Of or relating to the architectural style favored in Western Europe in the 12th to 16th centuries, with high-pointed arches, clustered columns, etc.Examples: "Gothic arches"; "Or does the L.C.C. [London County Council] dislike nineteenth century Gothic?"; "The Gothic style did not cease to exist: it did, however, cease to be all-powerful, and it almost ceased to create new forms. Gothic architects had by this time drawn every possible conclusion from the premises which had been laid down […]"

3. (literature) Of or relating to the style of fictional writing associated with Gothic fiction, emphasizing violent or macabre events in a mysterious, desolate setting.Examples: "Gothic tales"; "Shelley's two early novels Zastrozzi and St. Irvyne are, as many scholars have noted, obviously connected to the tradition of the Gothic novel; as well, two volumes of early poetry contain Gothic elements and his tragedy The Cenci has been […]"Synonyms: Gothish

4. (typography, England) Synonym of black letter.Examples: "Gothic letters"Synonyms: black letterEngland

5. (typography, US) Of a sans serif typeface using straight, even-width lines, also known as grotesque or lineal.US