What does Anzac stand for?
In Australia, Anzac stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. But it is used as a shorthand for all Australians and New Zealanders who fought in the two world wars.
Anzac is a term you may well come across in Australia. There’s an Anzac Day on April 25 every year. There’s an Anzac Bridge and Anzac Memorial in Sydney. And Anzac biscuits are a beloved Australian snack.
Outsiders, however, might be somewhat perplexed about what Anzac means. So what does Anzac stand for?
Anzac meaning
Anzac stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. This corps was founded in World War I as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was formed in 1914 and disbanded in 1916. However, during that period it fought the gruelling, deadly Gallipoli campaign in Turkey.
The Anzacs at Gallipoli
Many young Australians and New Zealanders lost their lives at Gallipoli, and the First World War experience provided a profound shock back home. At the time, Australia had only recently federated. It was a very young, optimistic and perhaps naïve nation.
The fledgling country didn’t need to get involved in the war, but sent troops as a sign of wanting to help friends and play a part in world affairs.
Anzac remembrance
The corps was briefly reformed again in World War II, but the Anzacs have since become something of a national legend.
Anzac Day nominally remembers the Anzacs, but Anzac is really used as a shorthand for all the Australians that fought in the two world wars. Remembrance is rarely specific to the actual corps – it is broader and encompasses the soldiers who fought in other campaigns.
To learn more about the Anzacs, visit the National Anzac Centre in Albany, Western Australia.
More Australian slang
Bottle shop | Budgie-smugglers | CBD | Cellar door | Drop bear |
Galah | Goon | Hoon | Lamington | Manchester | Pom | Ranga | Roadhouse |