Etymology
Flag of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (alternative national flag of Germany, 1933-35)
The full name of Adolf Hitler's party was Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Workers' Party; NSDAP). The shorthand Nazi was formed from the first two syllables of the German pronunciation of the word "national" (IPA: [na-tsi̯-o-ˈnaːl]).[1]
The term was in use before the rise of the NSDAP as a colloquial and derogatory word for a backwards peasant, characterising an awkward and clumsy person. It derived from Ignaz, being a shortened version of Ignatius,[2][3] a common name in Bavaria, the area from which the Nazis emerged. Opponents seized on this and shortened the first word of the party's name, Nationalsozialistische, to the dismissive "Nazi".[3][4][5][6]
The NSDAP briefly adopted the Nazi designation, attempting to reappropriate the term, but soon gave up this effort and generally avoided it while in power.[4][5] The use of "Nazi Germany," "Nazi regime," and so on was popularised by German exiles abroad. From them, the term spread into other languages and eventually was brought back to Germany after World War II.[4]