swastika
10 synonyms and 0 antonyms for swastika, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An ancient symbol made of a cross with each arm bent at a right angle, historically used across many cultures as a sign of good fortune, but today associated almost entirely with Nazi Germany and fascism.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Borrowed from Sanskrit svastika, built from su- ("good") and asti ("is"), together meaning roughly "a good-luck charm." The word entered English in 1871. From the 1930s it became strongly tied to the symbol used by the Nazi party (also called the Hakenkreuz, or "hooked cross").
Full origin of swastika →Frequently asked questions
What does “swastika” mean?
The word “swastika” means an ancient symbol made of a cross with each arm bent at a right angle, historically used across many cultures as a sign of good fortune, but today associated almost entirely with Nazi Germany and fascism. In plain terms, an ancient cross-shaped symbol now overwhelmingly linked to Nazism, even though it originally meant good luck in many older cultures.
How do you pronounce “swastika”?
“Swastika” is pronounced SWOS-tih-kuh (/ˈswɑstɪkə/ in IPA).
How do you use “swastika” in a sentence?
Here is “swastika” used in a sentence: “The museum explained the swastika's long pre-Nazi history in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain art.”
What is another word for “swastika”?
Words with a similar meaning to “swastika” include Black Spider, cross gammadion, gammadion, gammation, hooked cross and sauvastika.
What part of speech is “swastika”?
“Swastika” is a noun.
Where does the word “swastika” come from?
The word “swastika” dates back to around 1871 and comes from Sanskrit.