swastika

American  

[swos-ti-kuh, swas-] / ˈswɒs tɪ kə, ˈswæs- /

noun

1. a figure used as a symbol or an ornament in the Old World and in America since prehistoric times, consisting of a cross with arms of equal length, each arm having a continuation at right angles.

2. this figure as the official emblem of the Nazi party and the Third Reich.

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swastika British  

/ ˈswɒstɪkə /

noun

1. a primitive religious symbol or ornament in the shape of a Greek cross, usually having the ends of the arms bent at right angles in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction

2. this symbol with clockwise arms, officially adopted in 1935 as the emblem of Nazi Germany

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• swastikaed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of swastika

1850–55; < Sanskrit svastika, equivalent to su- good, well (cognate with Greek eu- eu- ) + as- be ( see is) + -ti- abstract noun suffix + -ka secondary noun suffix

Example Sentences

As the group performed their 2000 song Swastika Eyes during the one-off gig, pictures of political figures played in the backdrop.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

Reuters tried to contact the company that runs the Miss Universe Indonesia pageant, PT Capella Swastika Karya, and the company's founder, Poppy Capella, through their social media accounts but they did not respond.

From Reuters • Aug. 8, 2023

For a long time, nobody really noticed Swastika Mountain in Oregon.

From National Geographic • May 19, 2023

In his 2018 book titled “The Buddhist Swastika and Hitler’s Cross: Rescuing a Symbol of Peace from the Forces of Hate,” Nakagaki posits that Hitler referred to it as the hakenkreuz.

From Washington Post • Dec. 2, 2022

“Mostly, though, they just don’t get it. One minute, you’re Kid Bar Mitzvah, and the next you’re Swastika Guy? You can’t blame them for being confused. I’m confused.”

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman