Flak Is an Abbreviated German Compound
Flak is anti-aircraft fire, and by extension harsh criticism. The word packs five syllables of German into one.
Flak is anti-aircraft fire, and figuratively strong criticism. It compresses the German *Fliegerabwehrkanone*, aircraft defence cannon, taking the first letters of each element — a piece of military shorthand that English adopted whole during the Second World War. The figurative sense of taking flak arrived quickly afterwards, and a *flak jacket* was originally protection against shell fragments rather than bullets.
- Anti-aircraft fire. *Heavy flak.*
- Harsh criticism. *Took some flak.*
- Flak jacket. *A flak jacket.*
- German — *Fliegerabwehrkanone*. *The source.*
- From the 1930s. *Adopted in English.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | flak | Flak. |
| Compound | flak jacket | A flak jacket. |
| Idiom | take flak | Take flak. |
| German | Flak | Anti-aircraft gun. |
| Related | ack-ack | Ack-ack. |
- The bombers flew through flak.Military.
- She took flak for the decision.Criticism.
- It abbreviates a German compound.Etymology.
German military words in English
- Flak — from *Fliegerabwehrkanone*
- Blitz — from *Blitzkrieg*, lightning war
- Panzer — armour, used for tank units
- U-boat — from *Unterseeboot*, undersea boat
- Ersatz — a substitute, now used generally
German *Flak*, an abbreviation of *Fliegerabwehrkanone*, aircraft defence cannon.
What does flak stand for?
Fliegerabwehrkanone, German for aircraft defence cannon, shortened to the first letters of each element.
What was a flak jacket for?
Protection against shell fragments from anti-aircraft fire, rather than against bullets.