What does fritz mean?
In everyday English, "fritz" survives almost entirely within the phrase "on the fritz," an informal expression meaning that something — usually a machine, appliance, or electronic device — is broken or behaving erratically. Saying the printer is "on the fritz" signals a malfunction in a lighthearted, colloquial way, and the phrase remains common in both Britain and North America despite its age. The word itself derives from "Fritz," a familiar German pet form of Friedrich (Frederick), and during the two World Wars British and American soldiers used "Fritz" as a generic nickname for German troops, much as they used "Jerry" or "Tommy." That wartime sense has faded and can read as dated or offensive today, so modern usage centers on the mechanical meaning. The origin of "on the fritz" as a slang term is murky, but the expression took hold in American usage by the early twentieth century and has proven remarkably durable. It is a handy, vivid way to say something has stopped working properly without resorting to dry technical language.
A state of malfunction or disrepair, expressed through the idiom "on the fritz."
"The vending machine is on the fritz again."
This sense almost never appears outside the fixed phrase; "fritz" is rarely used alone to describe a breakdown.
A German man or soldier, especially as a stereotypical wartime nickname (dated and often offensive).
"Letters from the front referred to the opposing trenches simply as "the Fritzes.""
Historical usage from the World War era; avoid in contemporary speech.
Pluralizes normally; the plural appeared mostly in wartime contexts referring to German soldiers.
"The squad reported movement among the Fritzes across the ridge."
"On the fritz" is one of English's most enduring slang phrases for a broken machine — yet almost nobody can tell you who Fritz actually was.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of fritz
"Fritz" began as a German diminutive of the given name Friedrich, whose first element comes from the Old High Germanic root "fridu," meaning peace — the same root behind English "Frederick." During the early twentieth century, English speakers adopted "Fritz" as a stock nickname for German men and, in wartime, for German soldiers. The slang phrase "on the fritz," meaning broken or malfunctioning, arose in American usage around the turn of the twentieth century, though the precise reason this particular name became attached to machine failure is uncertain.
Related word forms
How fritz is actually used
Nearly all modern usage of "fritz" appears inside the fixed phrase "on the fritz," which carries a casual, mildly humorous register and typically applies to appliances, machines, or electronics rather than people. The standalone use of "Fritz" to mean a German soldier dates to early twentieth-century wartime slang and is now largely obsolete; where it survives it may cause offense.
Easily confused with fritz
"Frizz" refers to tightly curled hair, while "fritz" means a malfunction (as in "on the fritz") or a German person.