What does weltanschauung mean?
Weltanschauung is a German loanword meaning “worldview” or “philosophy of life.” It denotes a comprehensive conception of the world, including the assumptions, values, and priorities through which a person or group interprets experience. An individual may have a personal weltanschauung, while societies, religions, political movements, and intellectual traditions can be described as having shared or characteristic ones. The term often appears in literary criticism, philosophy, history, cultural studies, and political analysis, where it helps identify the underlying outlook shaping a person’s decisions or a movement’s goals. Because it can imply a coherent and potentially rigid system of beliefs, it often carries more intellectual and ideological weight than the simpler word “outlook.” The word is also valued for its ability to compress a complex cultural or philosophical perspective into a single term. In English, its German origin remains audible in its pronunciation and its relatively uncommon plural form.
nounA particular conception or philosophy of the world; a worldview. The term may refer to an individual's outlook or to the shared beliefs and assumptions of a group, culture, movement, or political system.
- A comprehensive conception of the world that encompasses fundamental beliefs, values, and assumptions, whether held by an individual or shared by a group.
"The novel examines the clash between two rival weltanschauungen and the people whose lives are shaped by them."
"Her travels abroad challenged the weltanschauung she had grown up with."
"The architect's work was informed by a deeply humanistic weltanschauung."
"Historians sought to understand the nationalist weltanschauung that shaped the movement."
The standard plural retains the German-style ending “-en” and is normally written in lowercase in English.
"The author contrasts the competing weltanschauungen of the two generations."
Weltanschauung literally means “worldview”—one German compound for an entire philosophy of life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of weltanschauung
Weltanschauung is a German compound formed from Welt, meaning “world,” and Anschauung, meaning “view” or “way of viewing”; Anschauung is related to anschauen, “to look at.” The compound was established in German philosophical vocabulary before being borrowed into English in the 19th century. Its modern sense covers both an individual’s outlook and the broader intellectual or ideological outlook of a group.
Related word forms
How weltanschauung is actually used
Formal and intellectual, especially common in philosophy, literary criticism, cultural studies, and political or historical analysis. It can suggest a comprehensive, sometimes rigid system of beliefs, so it may carry an ideological connotation where a neutral word such as “outlook” would be preferable.