Some of these meanings are cultural while others mean different things.

The term Gothic was originally used to refer to the Goths which were five tribes which migrated after the fall of the Roman Empire.

The Gothic language is used to refer to an extinct language which was once spoken by people of the same tribes and which no longer exists today.

Three types of Gothic were once spoken and historical references exist for all three types of the language.

It derived from the branch of architecture known as Romanesque Architecture. A lot of buildings in Europe, especially the United Kingdom are a reflection of this architectural style.

Most of these buildings were built in the 12th , 16th and 18th centuries and include a large number of cathedrals, palaces and other buildings of note. The truth is that the term Gothic Architecture in actual fact has nothing to do with the Goths.

The term Gothic in this case was used to refer to something babaric and strange. At the time that the architectural structures were conceived, the art was seen as unrefined. It was only much later that this impression changed..

It was and still is a theme in popular novels as well as literature especially those within the horror genre.

It is also a theme in fashion and culture with a certain group of individuals, especially those in their younger years, choosing to dress in a manner called Gothic, this is often usually associated with certain rock groups and their fan base.

Whatever the evolutionary phases of the term Gothic it is clear that it has retained a certain association with a manner that connotes everything else but joy and bears a lot of historical significance as well.