zeit·geist | Pronunciation: 'tsIt-"gIst, 'zIt | Function: noun | Etymology: German, from Zeit (time) + Geist (spirit) | Date: 1884 | Meaning: the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era.

“Zeitgeist” means “the spirit of the times,” and this spirit can be seen through the aggregation of millions of search queries Google receives every day. The annual Zeitgeist report reveals what captured the world's attention in the past year—our passions, interests and defining moments as seen through search.

Explore the most recent Year-End Zeitgeist, or take a trip back in time by looking through the archives.

2012 Zeitgeist

See what the world searched for in 2012.