swastika

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See also: Swastika, 卐, and 卍

English

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit स्वस्तिक (svastika), from सु- (su-, “good, well”) + अस्ति (asti), a verbal abstract of the root of the verb "to be", स्वस्ति (svasti) thus meaning "well-being" — and the diminutive suffix क (ka); hence "little thing associated with well-being", corresponding roughly to "lucky charm". First attestation in English in 1871, a Sanskritism that replaced the Grecian term gammadion. From 1932 onwards it often referred specifically to the version used by the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (also called the "hooked cross", or German Hakenkreuz).

Pronunciation

Noun

swastika (countable and uncountable, plural swastikas)

  1. (countable) A cross with arms of equal length all bent halfway along at a 90° angle to the right or to the left, used as a religious symbol by various ancient and modern civilizations, but now mainly seen and used in the West (with arms angled to the right) as a symbol of Nazism and fascism.
    • 1888, Rudyard Kipling, “The Sending of Dana Da”, in In Black and White, Folio Society, published 2005, pages 423–4:
      This was signed by Dana Da, who added pentacles and pentagrams, and a crux ansata, and half-a-dozen swastikas, and a Triple Tau to his name, just to show that he was all he laid claim to be.
    • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 270:
      It is clear from archaeological finds that they enjoyed wearing Christian crosses, though they might enliven these with such symbols as the Indian swastika which Buddhists had brought them.
  2. (fascism, history, metonymically, uncountable) Nazi rule.
    • 1989, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, spoken by Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody):
      "Is that what you think of me? I believe in the Grail, not the Swastika!"
    • 2011, Rudolph Herzog, translated by Jefferson Chase, Dead Funny: Humor in Hitler's Germany‎, Brooklyn: Melville House, →ISBN, page 36:
      “I can’t imagine anyone believes in Communist culprits instead of a contract job commissioned on behalf of the swastika.”

Synonyms

Holonyms

  • kolovrat (Slavic neopaganism, far-right politics)

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

Dutch

Etymology

From Sanskrit स्वस्तिक (svastika).

Pronunciation

Noun

swastika f or m (plural swastika's)

  1. swastika
    Synonym: hakenkruis

French

Noun

swastika m or f (plural swastikas)

  1. Alternative spelling of svastika

Further reading

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay swastika. Ultimately from Sanskrit स्वस्तिक (svastika).

Noun

swastika (plural swastika-swastika)

  1. swastika

Further reading

Tagalog

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from English swastika, from Sanskrit स्वस्तिक (svastika).

Pronunciation

Noun

swástiká (Baybayin spelling ᜐ᜔ᜏᜐ᜔ᜆᜒᜃ)

  1. swastika

Further reading

  • “swastika”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
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