Definition

1. Noun:

   • A member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party: A person who was a member of the political party led by Adolf Hitler, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945.
   • A person with fanatical, authoritarian, or racist views: A derogatory term for someone perceived as being rigidly dogmatic, brutally oppressive, or seeking to control a specific activity or ideology.

2. Adjective:

   • Relating to the Nazis or Nazism: Pertaining to the ideology, policies, practices, or characteristics of the National Socialist German Workers' Party.
   • Typical of Nazi ideology: Consistent with the principles of extreme nationalism, totalitarianism, racism (especially antisemitism), and authoritarian control.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • He was a high-ranking Nazi during the war.
  • She called him a grammar nazi for constantly correcting people's punctuation. (Derogatory, figurative use)
• Adjective:
  • The Nazi regime implemented horrific policies.
  • The propaganda used Nazi symbolism.

Advanced Usage

• "to go Nazi" (slang, offensive): To behave in an authoritarian, oppressive, or brutally strict manner.
  • The new manager went full Nazi about the dress code.
• Capitalization Note: The word is often capitalized ("Nazi") when referring specifically to the historical German party and its members, but may appear in lowercase ("nazi") in its modern derogatory, figurative senses.

Variants and Related Words

• Nazism (noun): The ideology and practices associated with the Nazi party.
  • The world fought against the spread of Nazism.
• Neo-Nazi (noun/adjective): A person or movement that seeks to revive or emulate the ideologies of Nazism.
  • Neo-Nazi groups are banned in several countries.

Synonyms

• Fascist: (especially as a general derogatory term) A person who supports or practices fascism, a system of government marked by centralization of authority, dictatorial power, and suppression of opposition.
• Authoritarian: A person who favors or enforces strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.
• Bigot: (in the context of the derogatory use) A person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices.

Related Phrases

• Grammar Nazi (noun, slang, derogatory): A person who is fanatical about enforcing rules of grammar and usage, often in an annoying or pedantic way.
• Soup Nazi (noun, from pop culture): A term derived from a television show () for a person who is extremely and rigidly strict about rules, especially in a service context.

Important Note on Usage

The term "Nazi" carries immense historical weight and profound offensiveness due to its association with genocide, war, and totalitarian terror. Its figurative, derogatory use (e.g., "coffee nazi," "fitness nazi") is often considered trivializing and highly insensitive, as it compares rigid behavior to historically monstrous crimes. Extreme caution and contextual awareness are required when using this word.

Adjective

1. relating to a form of socialism
   • the national socialist party came to power in Germany in 1933
2. relating to or consistent with or typical of the ideology and practice of Nazism or the Nazis
   • the total Nazi crime
   • the Nazi interpretation of history

Noun

1. derogatory term for a person who is fanatically dedicated to, or seeks to control, some activity, practice, etc.
2. a German member of Adolf Hitler's political party