The word "fritz" has multiple meanings depending on context:
- Informally, especially in American English, "on the fritz" means something is broken, not working properly, or defective. For example, "Our television is on the fritz" means the TV is not functioning correctly.
- As a noun and ethnic slur (considered offensive), particularly in British English historical usage, "Fritz" was used to refer to German people, especially soldiers, during wartime.
- "Fritz" is also a common German male given name, originally a diminutive form of Friedrich or Frederick, meaning "peaceful ruler".
In summary, "fritz" can mean broken or malfunctioning, an offensive term for Germans, or a male name of German origin signifying a peaceful ruler. The informal phrase "on the fritz" is the most common modern usage meaning something is out of order.