panzer

noun

pan·​zer ˈpan-zər How to pronounce panzer (audio) ˈpän(t)-sər How to pronounce panzer (audio)
: tank sense 2
specifically : a German tank of World War II

Examples of panzer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The German eastern front in Poland collapsed under the armored onslaught, once again because the Soviet T-34’s broad tracks could cope with the ice and snow far better than any German panzer. — Antony Beevor, Foreign Affairs, 29 Dec. 2022 Yet their suffering had been caused less by cold than by Hitler’s orders to hold on there and the inability of German panzers with their narrow tracks to counterattack in the snow. — Antony Beevor, Foreign Affairs, 29 Dec. 2022

Word History

Etymology

German Panzer tank, armor, coat of mail, from Middle High German panzier, from Old French panciere, from pance, panche belly — more at paunch

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of panzer was in 1938

Phrases Containing panzer

Browse Nearby Words

Panyan
panzer
panzer division
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Panzer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panzer. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about panzer

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