Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The German air force before and during World War II.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun The German air force until the end of the Second World War.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the German airforce

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[German : Luft, air (from Middle High German, from Old High German) + Waffe, weapon (from Middle High German wāfen, from Old High German waffan).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From German Luftwaffe, compound word from Luft ("air") + Waffe ("weapon").

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Examples

  • The Luftwaffe is going to try to break the R.A.F. and we have got to have machines.

    What I Have Seen Over There and Over Here 1941

  • The brigade hasn’t seen much combat work since the Luftwaffe is not bombing their section of Britain.

    Current Movie Reviews, Independent Movies - Film Threat 2005

  • Although the French, American, and Japanese naval air forces were all developing dive-bombers, in May 1940 the Luftwaffe was the only land-based air force that had both the planes and the coordination systems to make use of them.

    Deathride John Mosier 2010

  • Although the French, American, and Japanese naval air forces were all developing dive-bombers, in May 1940 the Luftwaffe was the only land-based air force that had both the planes and the coordination systems to make use of them.

    Deathride John Mosier 2010

  • New papers recovered from a deceased former Luftwaffe aka “The Washington Generals of the History Channel”…thank you, Homer SimpsonSignalman Paul Hanisch.

    Nunc Scio » Blog Archive » Amber Room….found? 2008

  • But, if this is problematic for the RAF, the Luftwaffe, which is struggling with a fleet of clapped-out Transalls which, even in pristine condition, do not have the range adequately to service German requirements.

    Archive 2007-01-01 Richard 2007

  • In the month leading up the Blitz, the Nazi air force, called the Luftwaffe, had been attacking Royal Air Force bases in southern England, hoping to disable the RAF to allow for an amphibious invasion.

    NYT > Home Page By THE LEARNING NETWORK 2011

  • So should we stop calling the Luftwaffe - the Luftwaffe?

    Army Rumour Service 2009

  • The first building bombed by the Luftwaffe was the hospital - with its roof marked with huge red cross.

    Latest Articles 2009

  • I don't understand why they didn't call the Luftwaffe, the coast guard and the army to eliminate this threat!

    The Civic Platform - A Political Journal of Ideas and Analysis 2008

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