nazi

nazi — noun

IPA/ˈnɑːt.si/
KK[nˈɑtsi]IPA/ˈnɑːt.si/
  • nazisingular
  • nazisplural

1. someone who belonged to the political party Adolf Hitler led — the party that to

1.nounB2
Definition

someone who belonged to the political party Adolf Hitler led — the party that took over Germany in 1933 and began the Second World War.

Example

Mira's grandfather was forced to fight as a Nazi soldier during the war.

countable: a Nazi + role noun (soldier)

The Nazi party won enough votes to become the largest group in the German parliament.

the Nazi party — historical political entity

Common collocations
  • Nazi party
  • Nazi regime
  • Nazi Germany
  • former Nazi
  • Nazi officer
  • Nazi ideology
Synonyms
  • fascist

    broader term for anyone who supports a far-right authoritarian system; not limited to the German Nazi party

  • brownshirt

    historical term for a member of the Nazi paramilitary group (the SA); less common today

  • Hitler supporter

    descriptive phrase rather than a single word; emphasises loyalty to the leader

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

a Nazi

the Nazis

Usage Note

This sense is typically capitalised (Nazi) because it refers to a specific political party. The word is a shortened form of the German Nationalsozialist.

Common Mistakes

He was a nazi who liked strict rules.
He was a Nazi who served in the German army.
When referring to the historical party, always capitalise and use the historical context.

2. an insulting term for someone who behaves in a harshly demanding or cruel way, o

2.nounB2
Definition

an insulting term for someone who behaves in a harshly demanding or cruel way, or who holds deeply prejudiced beliefs, especially about race.

Example

Reuben's supervisor is a nazi about punctuality — even one minute late counts as a problem.

figurative: a nazi about [domain] — informal

The coach was a total nazi who made players run extra laps for any mistake.

Common collocations
  • grammar nazi
  • health nazi
  • fashion nazi
  • total nazi
  • nazi about [something]
Synonyms
  • tyrant

    focuses on cruel and oppressive use of power, without the racist connotation

  • dictator

    someone who demands total obedience, but usually refers to political leaders

  • bigot

    emphasises unreasonable, prejudiced beliefs about race or religion

  • martinet

    a person who demands strict adherence to rules; less offensive and more formal

Antonyms
  • liberal

    a person open to new ideas and tolerant of others' views

Grammar Patterns

a [domain] nazi

a nazi about [something]

Usage Note

This extended sense is usually written in lowercase. It can cause offence because it trivialises the historical atrocities committed by the Nazi regime. Common in fixed compound phrases such as grammar nazi, health nazi, or fashion nazi.

Common Mistakes

She is a nazi about the budget.' (too casual — the figurative use is informal and may offend).
She is very strict about the budget.
Use neutral alternatives in formal or professional settings.

nazi — adjective

IPA/ˈnɑːtsi/
KK[nˈɑtsi]IPA/ˈnɑːtsi/

Word family

  • Nazism
    nounB2
  • Nazify
    verbC1
  • Nazification
    nounC1
  • denazification
    nounC1
  • neo-Nazi
    nounB2
  • neo-Nazi
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Nazi refers specifically to a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party under Adolf Hitler — a historically bounded term tied to Germany (1933–1945). Fascist is broader: it describes any supporter of a far-right, dictatorial system that suppresses opposition and promotes aggressive nationalism, including Mussolini's Italy, Franco's Spain, and modern extremist movements. Authoritarian is the broadest of the three, covering any system or person that demands unquestioning obedience to authority, regardless of left- or right-wing ideology. Unlike the first two, authoritarian has no necessary connection to racism or ultranationalism. For example, a military dictator could be described as authoritarian without being a fascist, but no one who is not a member of Hitler's party can accurately be called a Nazi in the historical sense.

nazi ↗fascist ↗authoritarian ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • Nazi Germany
  • Nazi party
  • Nazi regime
  • Nazi occupation
  • Nazi concentration camps

Prepositions

  • under (the Nazi regime)
  • during (the Nazi era)
  • in (Nazi Germany)

Etymology

GermanEnglish

The word Nazi is a shortened form of the German Nationalsozialist (National Socialist). It was coined by blending Nati- (from National) with Sozi (a common abbreviation for Sozialist, meaning socialist). Opponents of the party first used it as a dismissive nickname, but the party itself eventually adopted the term. The word entered English in the early 1930s as Hitler's movement gained international attention.