Fourth Reich
- noun
- /fɔrθ raɪk/
- Offensive
:
Cuarto Reich
- Many historians fear the rise of a Fourth Reich in Europe.
Examples
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The documentary explored fears of a Fourth Reich among European nations.
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Some conspiracy theorists claim that a Fourth Reich could rise in Europe.
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Debates about the possibility of a Fourth Reich remain controversial among historians.
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The concept of a Fourth Reich is alarming to many.
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Some conspiracy theorists claim that a Fourth Reich could rise in Europe.
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Debates about the possibility of a Fourth Reich remain controversial among historians.
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The documentary explored fears of a Fourth Reich among European nations.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally combines 'fourth' (an ordinal) with 'Reich' (empire), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a fourth/next German empire or successor state. However, the strong connotation of a resurgence of Nazi ideology depends on knowledge of the historical label 'Third Reich' and political context, so the full idiomatic/political meaning is not fully predictable from the parts alone.
Etymology
The term Fourth Reich comes from naming earlier German eras as the First, Second and Third Reich, where Reich is a German word for 'empire'. So Fourth Reich is a way to talk about a possible new German empire and is often used to warn about a return of 'Nazi' ideas.
