hakenkreuz

See also: Hakenkreuz

English

Etymology

Borrowed from German Hakenkreuz.

Noun

hakenkreuz (plural hakenkreuzes)

1. (chiefly India, often capitalized) The swastika that is used as a Nazi symbol.
   • 1937, The Aeroplane, page 442:

     The big elliptical main hall, quite a beautiful saloon, looked at first sight like a German show, for the hakenkreuzes, or swastikas, on the tails of the German aeroplanes, and a frieze of the same emblem round most of the gallery […]

   • 2022, The Tribune‎^[1]:

     A prominent US-based Hindu organization has urged Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Indian-origin leader Jagmeet Singh not to conflate the ‘Swastika’, an ancient and auspicious symbol for Hindus with the ‘Hakenkreuz’, a 20th century Nazi symbol of hate.

Usage notes

Some Hindus, Buddhists and Jains suggest that "hakenkreuz" should be used instead of "swastika" when referring to the Nazi symbol, as the swastika is considered to be sacred in these religions.