To make German in language, culture, or character; to cause to adopt German ways.
From German + -ize (from Greek -izein, meaning 'to make or become'). This verb entered English in the 18th-19th centuries as nation-states actively pursued cultural uniformity.
Historically, 'germanize' referred to policies where regions incorporated into German-speaking territories were required to adopt German language and customs—a significant part of European conflicts.
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