whimsigothic en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˌwɪmzɪˈɡɒθɪk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˌwɪmzɪˈɡɑθɪk/ (General-American)
Etymology
Blend of whimsical + gothic, equivalent to whimsigoth + -ic. Coined by Evan Collins in 2020.
Meanings
-
(neologism) Relating to or involving the whimsigoth aesthetic.
But it's not just a design aesthetic. It's a major fashion one, too. Whimsigothic fashion is heavily inspired by witches from pop culture, especially those from '90s movies and television.
2022 June 27, Molly Capobianco, “Which Iconic '90s Witch Are You?”, in BuzzFeed, archived from the original on 28 May 2023:A whimsigothic outfit should look casual but like it's got a story to it; like you thrifted it to wear to a Renaissance Fair and decided you look better in everyday Shakespearian garb.
2022 April 13, Jessica Lindsay, “Earth tones, flowing fabrics, and Stevie Nicks: the whimsigoth aesthetic explained”, in Metro, London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 12 Jan 2023:Grab your chainmail bra and get whimsigothic. The modern medieval look is back – inspired by the castle-dwelling icon Enya
2023 February 14, “Enyacore: the 1990s revival absolutely no one saw coming”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 May 2023:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most whimsigothic | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more whimsigothic | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |