Nazi
UK[ˈnɑːtsi]US[ˈnɑːtsi]
n
A member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, which controlled Germany from 1933 to 1945 under Adolf Hitler.
n
(often derogatory) A person with extreme racist, authoritarian, or intolerant views.
Etymology
The term "Nazi" is a German abbreviation, originating from the first two syllables of the word "Nationalsozialist" (National Socialist). The pronunciation of these syllables in German, "Na-tzi," gave rise to the clipped form. It was initially used by opponents as a derogatory term, playing on the common Bavarian nickname "Nazi" (a diminutive of "Ignatius"), implying foolishness or simplicity. The party itself initially disliked the label, but it was universally adopted in English and other languages to refer specifically to the ideology, members, and policies of Hitler's regime, later extending as a general pejorative for any fanatical, racist, or tyrannical person or group.
Analysis
This is a loanword from German, treated as a simplex unit in English. It is a shortening of the German compound "Nationalsozialist".
Examples
The Nazi regime perpetrated the Holocaust during World War II.
He was accused of espousing Nazi ideology for his white supremacist views.
Historians continue to analyze the social and economic conditions that allowed the Nazis to rise to power.