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Panzer IV Ausf. A, a medium tank first built in 1937

Panzer Leopard 2, a modern main battle tank

Panzer is a loanword from the German language. The German noun Panzer (plural: Panzer), German pronunciation [ˈpanʦer] (listen (help·info)), English [ˈpænzɝ], means tank in the sense of a heavily armored vehicle. Also, the word can have other words added onto it such as Plattenpanzer (Plate Armor) or Schutzpanzer (protective armour), or armoured forces (today, tank organizations and the tanks themselves) as in Panzerdivision. It is derived from the French pancier ("breastplate", compare English paunch). The word has been calqued in many languages, such as Swedish pansarvagn or Finnish panssarivaunu for any tracked armoured fighting vehicle.

The term has been accepted in English as a colloquialism to refer to a main battle tank or other armored vehicle, usually a Second World War German model. The term is usually not used outside this context, although it can refer to modern German tanks or be used as an adjective describing other modern or former German military units (e.g. Panzergrenadier - mechanised infantry). The term gained infamy in English during Germany's successful Blitzkrieg armoured advances of World War II.

Panzer Translates as tank in English. The term Panzerkampfwagen ("armoured combat vehicle") was commonly used during the Second World War by both the military and industry. German tank models were given designations such as Panzerkampfwagen I, or Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger and captured tanks from other nations were incorporated into the German forces and similarly designated (such as Panzerkampfwagen 38(t), t=Tschechisch or Czech). For a list, see German armoured fighting vehicles of World War II. "PzKpfw" means literally the same as AFV (armoured fighting vehicle)*

Individual variations of these basic tank types were given an Ausführung (version) letter, and consequently the field of tank recognition is extremely complex. Great lengths have been gone to explain the differences between a PzKpfw III Ausf. E(U) and a PzKpfw III Ausf. F(U), for example.

When describing individual tank models, English sources often abbreviate the designation "Panzerkampfwagen" to "Panzer" and sometimes also use the British word "Mark" (eg Panzer IV or Mark IV). The Germans themselves never did the latter. The word panzer is occasionally confused with the name of the Pzkpfw V Panther tank.

Tank destroyers were originally Panzerabwehr (tank defence) and later renamed to become Panzerjäger and, later, Jagdpanzer ("tank hunters" and, respectively, "hunting tanks" or "hunter tanks" as their role slightly changed), self-propelled infantry guns were Sturmgeschütze ("assault guns"), while self-propelled artillery pieces were usually referred to as Panzerhaubitze (armoured howitzer). The latter two vehicle types were generally not considered Panzers in the pure sense and were manned by Artillery personnel.

• Tank
• Panzertruppe
• Panzerfaust
• German AFVs of World War II
• Vehicle armour
• Armour

• Panzer Dragoon, a series of Sega videogames on Sega Saturn, Sega Game Gear and Microsoft XBox
• Panamanian football player Rommel Fernandez was known as "The Panzer" due to being almost unstoppable when trying to score.
• In some forms of coalminers' jargon, a panzer is a type of underground conveyor belt for carrying coal, made entirely out of metal.
• Erik "Panzer" Hagen
• In Sweden the official name for a tank is pansarvagn or stridsvagn (literally "combat wagon"), and a tank regiment is called Pansarregemente.
• In the MMORPG Rakion, the panzer is a creature summoned by players who resembles an armoured knight, and wields a halberd.
• British progressive rock band Amplifier recorded a song for their self-titled debut album entitled "Panzer."

• Detailed information about every aspect of the Panzerkampfwagen VI at the Tiger I Information Center