What does boche mean?
'Boche' is a piece of English military slang dating from the First World War, meaning a German, particularly a German soldier. Borrowed from French, it spread rapidly through British troops on the Western Front and became one of the standard epithets of the conflict, alongside terms like 'Hun' and 'Jerry'. The word carried strong contempt and was used freely in soldiers' letters, trench newspapers, and official communications of the period. After 1918 it faded gradually; it saw little revival in the Second World War, when newer slang took its place. Today it is essentially obsolete, encountered mainly in historical accounts, war literature, and period fiction, where it serves as a linguistic marker of its era. Because of its insulting intent toward Germans, it should not be used in modern speech. For students of history and language, however, it remains a vivid example of how wartime conditions generate rapid, durable slang that can define an entire generation's vocabulary.
nounA derogatory slang term for a German, especially a German soldier, used chiefly during and after the First World War.
- A German, especially a German soldier — used as an offensive slang term during and after the First World War.
"The old sergeant still spoke of the trenches and the Boche he had faced at the Somme."
"The letters home described the relentless shelling and the endless lines of Boche across no man's land."
"By 1918, 'the Boche' was such a fixture of soldiers' vocabulary that it appeared routinely in official dispatches."
Standard pluralization applies; often capitalized when referring collectively to German forces.
"The battalion counted dozens of Boche prisoners taken in the advance."
'Boche' was coined by mashing two French words together — and it became the British soldier's default insult for Germans in World War I.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of boche
The word comes from French, where it arose during the nineteenth century as Parisian slang. Its immediate origin is usually traced to 'Alboche', a blend of 'allemand' (German) with the older slang word 'boche', meaning a rascal or bumpkin, itself possibly linked to the word for a head or to 'bosc' (wood). The term was picked up by British soldiers during the First World War and entered widespread English use around 1914–1915. Cognates include the French 'allemand' and related forms denoting Germans.
How boche is actually used
The term is now dated and offensive; it belongs to First World War-era writing rather than contemporary speech. It is generally capitalized when used as a collective noun ('the Boche'). It is largely obsolete outside historical contexts.
Easily confused with boche
Bosch is a German engineering company and surname, unrelated to 'boche', which is wartime slang for a German person.