# heil

/ˈhaɪɫ/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/heil
Updated: 2026-05-28

## Definition

a greeting used by members of the Nazi party. It is a German word that means 'health' or 'well-being'.

For teachers: a greeting used by the Nazi Party, derived from the German word for 'health'. Often used in the context of historical or political discourse regarding 20th-century Germany.

## Examples

- The film shows people shouting 'heil' during the parade.
- Historians often study how the use of the 'heil' greeting helped to unify the party's members during the 1930s.
- The documentary explores the psychological impact of the 'heil' salute on the German population, illustrating how such simple gestures can be weaponized to enforce ideological conformity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.