swastika

noun

swas·​ti·​ka ˈswä-sti-kə 

 also  swä-ˈstē-

1

: a symbol or ornament in the form of a Greek cross with the ends of the arms extended at right angles all in the same rotary direction

2

: a swastika used as a symbol of anti-Semitism or of Nazism

Examples of swastika in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Not long ago, a Cybertruck driver found that someone had plastered a bumper sticker on the vehicle that showed Musk superimposed on a swastika, making his straight-armed salute. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025

In the past year anti-Jewish broadsides have come from all sides of the political spectrum, from Candace Owens, Jackson Hinkle and Andrew Tate unleashing hate on social media to demonstrators waving swastikas at American colleges. —Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2025

And in a third incident, Sobel said, a junior high school student in Weston found two swastikas in his football locker. —Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2025

Social media is rife with images of the distinctive vehicles vandalized with swastikas, with one recently spotted in Lower Manhattan. —Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit svastika, from svasti well-being, from su- well + as- to be; akin to Sanskrit asti he is, Old English is; from its being regarded as a good luck symbol

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

swastika

noun

swas·​ti·​ka ˈswäs-ti-kə 

 also  swä-ˈstē-kə

: a symbol in the form of a cross with the ends of the arms bent at right angles all in the same direction

Etymology

from a word in Sanskrit (the ancient language of India) svastika "a symbol in the form of a cross with bent arms," from svasti "well-being"