casspir

/ ˈkæspɜː /

noun

1. an armoured military vehicle

Word History and Origins

Origin of casspir¹

C20: coined from an anagram of CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) and SAP (South African Police)

Example Sentences

Irvin sketched an angular, armored military vehicle: the Casspir, a ubiquitous sight in the nation’s townships during the final decades of apartheid.

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The apartheid state deployed the Casspir to patrol and terrorize Black African communities in the name of keeping “peace.”

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In the 1980s, the Casspir proliferated across the country, moving from the battlefield and onto the streets.

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The Casspir, too, is part of this story.

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Initially improvised as a way to circumvent international sanctions against the apartheid government, the Casspir mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle was invented and produced domestically.

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