- a design or ornament of ancient origin in the form of a cross with four equal arms, each bent in a right-angle extension: a mystic symbol found in both the Old World and the New World
- this design with the arms bent back clockwise, used in Nazi Germany and by other Nazi fascists as a party emblem and symbol of anti-Semitism
Origin of swastika
Sanskrit svastika from svasti, well-being, benediction from su, well ( from Indo-European base an unverified form su-, variant, variety of an unverified form swe-, an unverified form sewe-: see suicide) + asti, he is: for Indo-European base see is
