Nazi

[ naht-see, nat- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural Nazis.

a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, which controlled Germany from 1933 to 1945 under Adolf Hitler and advocated totalitarian government, territorial expansion, antisemitism, and Aryan supremacy, all these leading directly to World War II and the Holocaust.
(often lowercase) a person elsewhere who holds similar views.
(often lowercase) Sometimes Offensive. a person who is fanatically dedicated to or seeks to regulate a specified activity, practice, etc.:
a jazz nazi who disdains other forms of music;
health nazis trying to ban junk food.

adjective

of or relating to the Nazis.

Nazi

/ ˈnɑːtsɪ; ˈnɑːtsɪˌɪzəm; ˈnɑːtˌsɪzəm /

noun

a member of the fascist National Socialist German Workers' Party, which was founded in 1919 and seized political control in Germany in 1933 under Adolf Hitler
derogatory.
anyone who thinks or acts like a Nazi, esp showing racism, brutality, etc

adjective

of, characteristic of, or relating to the Nazis

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Sensitive Note

Nazi in the extended sense of “a fanatical or domineering person” has existed at least since 1980 and parallels the use of the word police in the language police/the grammar police . Though this usage of Nazi is usually intended as jocular, it implies being intolerant of other people’s views and practices. And many people consider any extended use of the word Nazi to be offensive, in that it trivializes the terrible crimes of the German Nazis.

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Derived Forms

Nazism, noun

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Other Word Forms

an·ti-Na·zi adjective noun
pro-Na·zi adjective noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of Nazi¹

First recorded in 1930–35; from German Nazi, short for Nationalsozialist “National Socialist”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of Nazi¹

C20: from German, phonetic spelling of the first two syllables of Nationalsozialist National Socialist

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The book also mentioned a hoard of Nazi gold that was exported to Switzerland in 1944.

From BBC

In July 1937, artist Marc Chagall discovered that his paintings were enjoying a star turn in a singularly unexpected venue — an exhibition organized by the Nazi Party in Munich, the birthplace of its political fortunes.

From Salon

There’s certainly room for historical cynicism about postwar Germany and the role of Merz’s center-right party, the Christian Democratic Union, in laundering the reputations of many former Nazis or collaborators.

From Salon

But Netanyahu, and many other Israelis and their supporters abroad connected the October attacks to the centuries of persecution Jews suffered in Europe, which culminated with Nazi Germany killing six million Jews in the Holocaust.

From BBC

Adding to his troubles, Osment berated his arresting officer, claiming “I’ve been kidnapped by a f— Nazi” and hurling an antisemitic slur at the officer.

From Los Angeles Times

Naze nazify

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