blitzkrieg

[blits-kreeg] /ˈblɪtsˌkrig/

noun, verb (used with object)

blitz (defs 1, 2, 5).

Origin

1935-40; < German, equivalent to Blitz lightning + Krieg war

Examples from the web for blitzkrieg

Scientists who find neither the climatic nor the blitzkrieg theory convincing argue that rampant disease was the main villain.
According to those who feel life can be a blitzkrieg of good feeling, the ability to be happy is latent in the grimmest of us.
They concluded immediately that the suicides were a blitzkrieg in the detainees' long campaign of protest.
The blitzkrieg hypothesis paints the alarming picture of human beings rapidly wiping out a great number of animals.
It's a blitzkrieg of comedy that's destined to be lost in translation.
blitzkrieg has since been extended to express multiple meanings in popular use.
Blitz or blitzkrieg are used in many other nonmilitary contexts.
blitzkrieg also has had some influence on subsequent militaries and doctrines.

British Dictionary definitions for blitzkrieg

blitzkrieg

/ˈblɪtsˌkriːɡ/

noun

a swift intensive military attack, esp using tanks supported by aircraft, designed to defeat the opposition quickly

Word Origin

C20: from German: lightning war

Word Origin and History for blitzkrieg

"rapid attack," 1939, from German Blitzkrieg, from Blitz "lightning" (from Middle High German blicze, back-formation from bliczen "to flash," from Old High German blecchazzen "to flash, lighten" (8c.), from Proto-Germanic *blikkatjan, from PIE root *bhel- (1) "to shine, flash, burn;" see bleach (v.)) + Krieg "war" (see kriegspiel).

blitzkrieg in Culture

blitzkrieg [(blits-kreeg)]

A form of warfare used by German forces in World War II. In a blitzkrieg, troops in vehicles, such as tanks, made quick surprise strikes with support from airplanes. These tactics resulted in the swift German conquest of France in 1940 (see fall of France). Blitzkrieg is German for “lightning war.”