Panzer
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The word Panzer /ˈpænzər/ (German pronunciation: [ˈpantsɐ] ) is a German word that means "armour" or specifically "tank". The word panzer was first used in 1938 with the meaning "tank". It was used to specifically refer to German tanks in World War II[1]. It derives through the French word pancier, "breastplate", from Latin pantex, "belly".[2]
The word panzer did not replace the word tank before the 1930s even after the Germans developed the gepanzerte Fahrzeuge. Since panzer simply means "shell", the complete names of several tanks used by the Germans included panzer such as the gepanzerte Fahrzeuge and the Panzerkraftwagen. To refer to all these vehicles, Panzer came into use, eventually becoming the normal word for "tank".[3]
The word is used in English and some other languages as a loanword in the context of the German military. In particular, it is used in the proper names of military formations (Panzerdivision, 4th Panzer Army, etc.), and in the proper names of tanks, such as Panzer IV, etc.
The dated German term is Panzerkampfwagen, "tank" or "armoured combat vehicle". The modern commonly used synonym is Kampfpanzer, or Panzer. The first German tank, the A7V of 1918, was referred to as Sturmpanzerwagen (roughly, "armoured assault vehicle").
See also
References
- ^ "Definition of PANZER". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
- ^ Harper, Douglas. "panzer". Online Etymology Dictionary.
- ^ "The Origin of the Panzer". Retrieved 2020-05-06.
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