Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- a person who believes in or sympathizes with fascism.
- (often initial capital letter) a member of a fascist movement or party.
- a person who is dictatorial or has extreme right-wing views.
adjective
- Also fa·scis·tic [fuh–shis-tik] /fəˈʃɪs tɪk/. of or like fascism or fascists.
adjective
- opposed to fascisman antifascist demonstration
noun
- an adherent or practitioner of fascism
- any person regarded as having right-wing authoritarian views
adjective Also: fascistic (fəˈʃɪstɪk)
- characteristic of or relating to fascism
noun
- a supporter or member of the Italian Fascist movement
adjective
- of or relating to Italian Fascism
1921, from Italian partito nazionale fascista, the anti-communist political movement organized 1919 under Benito Mussolini (1883-1945); from Italian fascio “group, association,” literally “bundle” (see fasces).
With fascism, originally used in English in its Italian form, as an Italian word. [Fowler: “Whether this full anglicization of the words is worth while cannot be decided till we know whether the things are to be temporary or permanent in England” — probably an addition to the 1930 reprint, retained in 1944 U.S. edition.] Fasci “groups of men organized for political purposes” had been a feature of Sicily since c.1895, and the 20c. totalitatrian sense probably came directly from this, but influenced by the Roman fasces, which became the party symbol. Related: Fascistic.