Definition of "Gothic"
The three meanings of the term "gothic" were coined in the 18th century, when it became more mainstream.
Medieval
With the 18th century came a change in the view of the mediaeval period. Richard Hurd, “Letters on Chivalry and Romance”. The term becomes neutralised, an adjective used to describe something mediaeval without prejudice.
Supernatural
“The Castle of Otranto” and Clara Reeve's “Old English Baron” were considered gothic stories, meaning they were mediaeval. The atmosphere was that of the middle ages, with the presence of castles, haunted towers, underground passages, knights in armour and magic. But to readers the feature that was most interesting wasn’t the setting, but the supernatural aspects. Consequently, the following “imitations” of the gothic novel focused more on the paranormal themes, for example “The Ghost Seer” by Schiller, which included themes of necromancy and spiritualism (a metaphysical belief that the world is composed of two substances; matter and spirit). And Vathek by Beckford (that combines the popular Orientalism movement with the gothic novel), which sees the presence of Djinns (pre-islamic supernatural beings, usually invisible, similar to the English genie).
Barbaric
Deriving partially from how the French refer to the Middle Ages (les siècles gothiques), which was later taken by the English, and interpreted as “barbaric” , but the connotation mostly derives from the Renaissance. An example of this use is Johnson in 1775, who defined a Goth in his Dictionary as "one not civilised, one deficient in general knowledge, a barbarian". Most often this usage is in connection with ignorance, cruelty, or savageness - qualities associated with the Renaissance view of the middle ages. In 1711 Addison writes in the Spectator:
" I look upon these writers as Goths in Poetry, who, like those in Architecture, not being able to come
up to the beautiful simplicity of the old Greeks and Romans, have endeavoured to supply its place with all the extravagance of an irregular Fancy."
