Gestapo
[ guh-stah-poh; German guh-shtah-poh ]
/ gəˈstɑ poʊ; German gəˈʃtɑ poʊ /
noun
the German state secret police during the Nazi regime, organized in 1933 and notorious for its brutal methods and operations.
adjective
(sometimes lowercase)
of or resembling the Nazi Gestapo, especially in the brutal suppression of opposition: The new regime is using gestapo tactics.
Origin of Gestapo
< German
Ge(heime)
Sta(ats)po(lizei)
Example sentences from the Web for gestapo
British Dictionary definitions for gestapo
Gestapo
/ (ɡɛˈstɑːpəʊ, German ɡeˈʃtaːpo) /
noun
the secret state police in Nazi Germany, noted for its brutal methods of interrogation
Word Origin for Gestapo
from German
Ge (
heime)
Sta (
ats)
po (
lizei), literally: secret state police
Cultural definitions for gestapo
Gestapo
[ (guh-stah-poh, guh-shtah-poh) ]
The secret police of the Third Reich in Germany. The Gestapo operated against Germans suspected of treason by using brutal interrogation and torture; they instilled widespread fear by their terrorist methods.
notes for Gestapo
“Gestapo tactics” in general are intimidating official procedures.
notes for Gestapo
Figuratively, any brutal secret police organization may be called a “gestapo.”