Anzac

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A designation for soldiers from Australia and New Zealand who distinguished themselves in battles of World War I, especially during the Gallipoli campaign
2. A term for the military forces from Australia and New Zealand that fought side by side in key conflicts of the First World War, representing unity and heroism
3. Troops from Australia and New Zealand known for their role in World War I, particularly at Gallipoli ; the joint armed forces of Australia and New Zealand that served together in major WWI battles

Etymology: "Anzac" began as an acronym, formed from the initial letters of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the force raised in 1915 for the Gallipoli campaign in the First World War. The name was coined for the corps's administrative use, and the letters soon became a word of their own. Within months the soldiers themselves were using it, and it spread into everyday speech as a way of referring to the men of both nations. Its meaning then grew beyond the original unit. Anzac came to stand for the shared spirit of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers, and it was adopted as a term for the forces as a whole. Over time it took on a wider sense of mateship and sacrifice, and the day of remembrance commemorating the Gallipoli landing, Anzac Day, is named after it.