Borrowed from German Fritz, pet form of Friedrich (“Frederick”).
Meanings
(UK, ethnic, offensive, slur) A German person, usually male.
Someone sent up a shout and word came that oil had begun to show on the water—that meant one less submarine afloat! Again the roar of guns—again the shout! Two Fritzes sunk. . . ! 1918, Elaine Sterne, Over the Seas for Uncle Sam:
ru немчура́ (derogatory: a German person) · cs Němčour (derogatory: a German person) · de Krautfresser (derogatory: a German person) · pl helmut (derogatory: a German person) · ru ганс (derogatory: a German person) · fr fridolin (derogatory: a German person) · be шваб (derogatory: a German person) · uk шваб (derogatory: a German person) · nl mof (derogatory: a German person) · bg шва́ба (derogatory: a German person) · de Boche (derogatory: a German person) · fr fritz (derogatory: a German person) · it mangiapatate (derogatory: a German person) · pl szwab (derogatory: a German person) · ru фриц (derogatory: a German person) · fr Boche (derogatory: a German person) · it crucca (derogatory: a German person) · uk ганс (derogatory: a German person) · de Scheißdeutscher (derogatory: a German person) · da pølsetysker (derogatory: a German person) · be ганс (derogatory: a German person) · de Scheißdeutsche (derogatory: a German person) · ru шваб (derogatory: a German person) · pl fryc (derogatory: a German person) · pt chucrute (derogatory: a German person) · de Krautfresserin (derogatory: a German person) · de Kraut (derogatory: a German person) · be фрыц (derogatory: a German person) · fr chleuh (derogatory: a German person) · sh Švaba (derogatory: a German person) · nap fritsch (derogatory: a German person) · cs skopčák (derogatory: a German person) · it crucco (derogatory: a German person) · eo germanaĉo (derogatory: a German person) · uk фриц (derogatory: a German person) · mk шваба (derogatory: a German person) · pl szkop (derogatory: a German person)
Borrowed from German Fritz, pet form of Friedrich (“Frederick”).
Meanings
(UK, offensive) A name used to represent the German people (particularly the German armed forces) as a group.
[…]so Fritz could sleep easily in his trench, so far as mines were concerned; and Fritz, confident in his Herr Professors, altogether neglected any attempt to counter-mine. 1923, Frank Fox, “The Man-Made Earthquake”, in Charles Francis Horne, The Great Events of the Great War, volume 5:
But if Fritz is stationed in that patch of woodland, we've got no chance!
You! Fritz! Tell us where the ammunition's kept!
'Fritz is pounding away at the crossing,' he said. 'We'd do better to wait till things quieten down.' 1952, Vasily Grossman, translated by Robert Chandler and Yury Bit-Yunan, Stalingrad, page 227:
A diminutive of the male given name Friedrich.
Uncle Fritz “talked eyes” when he was the most deeply aggrieved; and little Fritz found it most unpleasant to have an American relative addicted to the same bad habit. She came into the room just then and there, and, seeing the two Fritzes in such confidential discussion, would have speedily withdrawn, had not the gentleman risen and begged her to remain. 1892, Evelyn Raymond, chapter VII, in Mixed Pickles, New York, N.Y.: Thomas Y. Crowell Co. […], →OCLC, page 81:
“Has she any children?” asked the practical Johannes. / “Just one—a nice boy, too. Thirteen. Fritz is his name.” Jakob chuckled. “Just the same as your brother. That’s a good one—there’ll be two Fritzes in one family!” 1943, Madeleine Goss, Robert Haven Schauffler, “Black Forest Magic”, in Brahms: The Master, New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →OCLC, page 205:
A surname from German.
The highly anticipated all-American matchup between Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe — marking the first US Open semifinals between two US men in nearly 20 years — will cost you quite a few Honey Deuces to attend. 2024 September 6, Jordan Valinsky, “Ticket prices for the all-American men’s matchup at the US Open are surging”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 23 May 2025: