Suastica

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Swastika \Swas"ti*ka\, Swastica \Swas"ti*ca\, n. [Also
     {suastica}, {svastika}, etc.] [Skr. svastika, fr. svasti
     walfare; su well + asti being.]
     A symbol or ornament in the form of a Greek cross with the
     ends of the arms at right angles all in the same direction,
     and each prolonged to the height of the parallel arm of the


     cross. A great many modified forms exist, ogee and volute as
     well as rectilinear, while various decorative designs, as
     Greek fret or meander, are derived from or closely associated
     with it. The swastika is found in remains from the Bronze Age
     in various parts of Europe, esp. at Hissarlik (Troy), and was
     in frequent use as late as the 10th century. It is found in
     ancient Persia, in India, where both Jains and Buddhists used
     (or still use) it as religious symbol, in China and Japan,
     and among Indian tribes of North, Central, and South America.
     It is usually thought to be a charm, talisman, or religious
     token, esp. a sign of good luck or benediction. Max M["u]ller
     distinguished from the swastika, with arms prolonged to the
     right, the {suavastika}, with arms prolonged to the left, but
     this distinction is not commonly recognized. Other names for
     the swastika are {fylfot} and {gammadion}.
     [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     Note: The swastika with arms bent to the right came to be
           used as a symbol of Aryan supremacy by the Nazi party
           in Germany, 1933 - 1945; hence, it is now associated in
           the United States and European countries with Nazism or
           antisemitism. It is sometimes used by neo-nazis, or by
           antisemites as an antisemitic symbol.
           [PJC]