We have compiled Australia’s best and most comprehensive Australian Slang dictionary to help you learn. Don’t be alarmed as most people do not speak using Australian slang most of the time. Instead they use standard English with an accent that most foreigners are not accustomed to. In more rural areas the accent can be more of a drawl. Occasionally, though, you may hear a word or two of Australian slang.
Some Australian slang is common place. You will probably hear words like Esky, thongs, G’Day whilst here. Other terms you may only hear in certain areas or in certain company.
However, there are some things that may come as a surprise should you hear them. In Australian slang, you wear thongs on your feet not your derriere. You wear a sloppy joe not eat it. …and Maccas is what we call McDonalds. Also, if you hear someone say that they’re buggered… no they have not just had sex with your dog! They are just tired.
A couple of things to note about Aussie slang. One, we often shorten the words and add a vowel and we have our own diminutive form that uses a ‘y’ or ‘ie’ at the end of the word.
Australian Slang – More friendly version of the word
Many words in Aussie slang end in a ‘o’. It is quite common to hear words like ambo (ambulance driver), relo (relative), servo (service station), muso (musician), preggo (pregnant), rego (car registration), arvo (afternoon), avo (avocado) and agro (aggressive) in everyday conversation. It shortens the word and makes it more friendly. We also shorten McDonalds (as in the hamburger chain) to Macca’s.
Australian Slang – Diminutive
The diminutive in Aussie Slang is simply formed by shortening the word (where possible) and adding a ‘y’ or ‘ie’ sound. You will often hear words such as barbie (barbeque), bikkie (biscuit, cookie), brekkie (breakfast), cossie (swimming costume), Chrissie (Christmas), exy (expensive), footy (football), lippy (lipstick), lolly (candy – comes from lollipop), mozzie (mosquito), mushie (mushroom), prezzy (present), sunnies (sunglasses) and uggies (ugg boots) in normal conversation. Selfie is an Australian term that has come from following this rule.
The Comprehensive 380 Word Australian Slang Dictionary
A
A Cold One = beer
Ace! = excellent! very good!
Aerial pingpong = Australian Rules football
Amber fluid = beer
Ambo = ambulance, ambulance driver
Ankle biter = small child
Apples, she’ll be = It’ll be all right
Arvo = afternoon
Aussie = Australian
Aussie Salute = wave to scare off the flies
Avo = avocado
B
B & S = Bachelors’ and Spinsters’ Ball
Back of Bourke = a very long way away
Bail (somebody) up = to corner somebody physically
Bail out = depart, usually angrily
Bail = to not turn up or to go early – normally without warning
Banana bender = a person from Queensland
Barbie = barbecue
Barrack = to cheer on (football team etc.)
Bastard = term of endearment
Bathers = swimming costume
Battler = someone working hard and only just making a living
Beaut, beauty = great, fantastic
Big Smoke = a big city, especially Sydney or Melbourne
Big-note oneself = brag, boast
Bikkie = biscuit (also “it cost big bikkies” = it was expensive), cost big bikkies = expensive
Billabong = a pond in a dry riverbed
Billy = metal container for boiling water.
Bingle = motor vehicle accident
Bities = biting insects
Bitzer = mongrel dog (bits of this and bits of that)
Black Stump, beyond the = a long way away, the back of nowhere
Bloke = man, guy
Bloody = very
Bloody oath = yes or its true
Blow in the bag = have a breathalyser test
Blowie = blow fly
Bludger = lazy person, layabout
Blue = a fight
Blue, make a = make a mistake
Bluey = blue cattle dog
Bluey = bluebottle jellyfish
Bodgy = of inferior quality
Bog in = commence eating, to attack food with enthusiasm
Bogan = person who takes little pride in his appearance, spends his days slacking and drinking beer
Bogged = stuck in mud, deep sand (a vehicle).
Bonzer = great, ripper
Boogie board = a hybrid, half-sized surf board
Boomer = a large male kangaroo
Booze bus = police vehicle used to catch drunk drivers
Boozer = a pub
Bored shitless = very bored
Bottle shop = liquor shop
Bottlo = bottle Shop, a place to buy alcohol
Bottler = something excellent
Brass razoo, he hasn’t got a = he’s very poor
Brekkie or brekky = breakfast
Brick shit house, built like a = big strong bloke
Brickie = bricklayer
Brizzie = Brisbane, state capital of Queensland
Brolly = Umbrella
Brumby = a wild horse
Buckleys Chance = little chance (see this)
Buck’s night = stag party, male gathering the night before the wedding
Budgie Smugglers = Speedos
Bugger me = expression of shock
Buggered = exhausted
Bugger off = go away
Bull bar = strong bar fixed to the front of a vehicle to protect it against hitting kangaroos (also roo bar)
Bull dust = a lie
Bundy = short for Bundaberg, Queensland, and the brand of rum that’s made there
Bunyip = mythical outback creature
Burl, Give it a = Go or try as in give it a go or try.
Bush = anywhere that isn’t in town
Bush bash = long competitive running or motorcar race through the bush
Bush telly = campfire
Bushie = someone who lives in the Bush
Bushranger = highwayman, outlaw
BYO = unlicensed restaurant where you have to Bring Your Own grog, also similar party or barbecue
C
Cabbie = taxi driver
Cab Sav = Cabernet Sauvignon (a variety of wine grape)
Cactus = dead, broken
Cake hole = mouth
Cark it = to die, cease functioning
Chewie = chewing gum
Choc A Bloc = full
Choccy Biccy = chocolate biscuit
Chokkie = chocolate
Chook = chicken
Chrissie = Christmas
Chuck a sickie = take the day off sick from work when you’re perfectly healthy
Chunder = vomit
Ciggy = a cigarette
Clayton’s = fake, substitute
Cleanskin = bottle of wine without a label.
Click = kilometre
Clucky = feeling broody or maternal
Coathanger = Sydney Harbour bridge
Cobber = friend
Cockie = cockatoo
Cockie = cockroach
Coldie = a cold beer
Compo = Workers’ Compensation pay
Cooee, within = nearby – I was within cooee of it.
Coppers = policemen
Corroboree = an aboriginal dance festival
Counter lunch/Countery = pub lunch
Cozzie = swimming costume
Crack onto (someone) = to hit on someone, pursue someone romantically
Crack the shits = getting angry at someone or something
Cranky = in a bad mood, angry
Cream (verb) = defeat by a large margin
Crikey = an expression of surprise
Crook = sick, or badly made
Cubby house = small, usually timber, shed in the garden used as a children’s plaything.
Cuppa = cup of tea or coffee
Cut lunch = sandwiches
D
Dag = Someone who’s a bit of a nerd or geek.
Daks = trousers or pants
Damper = bread made from flour and water
Date = arse[hole] (“get off your fat date”)
Dead dingo’s donger, as dry as a = dry
Deadset = true, the truth
Dero = tramp, hobo, homeless person (from “derelict”)
Digger = a soldier
Dill = an idiot
Dinkum, fair dinkum = true, real, genuine
Dinky-di = the real thing, genuine
Dipstick = a loser, idiot
Dob (somebody) in = inform on somebody
Docket = a bill, receipt
Doco = documentary
Dodgy = suspicious
Dog’s balls, stands out like = obvious
Dog’s breakfast = mess
Dole bludger = somebody on social assistance when unjustified
Donger = penis
Doodle = penis
Doovalacky = used whenever you can’t remember what to call something. Thingummyjig, whatsit.
Down to Earth = genuine, sensible and not fake
Down Under = Australia (and New Zealand)
Drink with the flies = to drink alone
Drongo = a dope, stupid person
Dummy, spit the = get very upset at something
Dunny = toilet
Durry = cigarette
E
Earbashing = nagging, non-stop chatter
Egg on = encourage
Esky = insulated container that keeps things cold for barbecues and picnics
Exy = expensive
F
Face, off one’s = completely drunk
Facey = Facebook
Fair dinkum = true, genuine
Fair go = a chance
Fair suck of the sav! = exclamation of wonder, awe, disbelief
Fairy floss = candy floss, cotton candy
Fanny = vagina
Feral (n.) = a hippie
Fisho = fishmonger
Flat out = really busy
Flick = to give something or somebody the flick is to get rid of it or him/her
Footy = Australian Rules football, Rugby League or Rugby Union
Fossick = to prospect, e.g. for gold
Fossicker = prospector, e.g. for gold
Furphy = rumours or stories that are improbable or absurd
G
G’Day = Australian slang for hello
Galah = fool, silly person. Named after the bird of the same name because of its antics
Garbo, garbologist = municipal garbage collector
Give it a burl = try it, have a go
Gnarly = awesome
Gobful, give a = to abuse verbally
Gobsmacked = surprised, astounded
Going off = busy, lots of people / angry person
Good oil = useful information, a good idea, the truth
Good onya = good for you, well done
Greenie = environmentalist
Grog = liquor, beer
Gutful of piss = drunk
Gyno = gynaecologist
H
Hard yakka = hard work
Heaps = loads, lots, many
Holy dooley! = an exclamation of surprise
Hoon = hooligan (normally driving aggressively and badly!)
Hooroo = goodbye
Hotel = often just a pub
I
Iffy = bit risky or unreasonable
J
Jackaroo = a male trainee station manager or station hand
Jillaroo = a female trainee station manager or station hand
Joey = baby kangaroo
Journo = journalist
Jug = electric kettle
Jumbuck = sheep
K
Kelpie = Australian sheepdog originally bred from Scottish collie
Kero = kerosene
Kindie = kindergarten
Knackered = tired
Knickers = female underwear
Knock = to criticise
Knock back = refusal (noun), refuse (transitive verb)
Knocker = somebody who criticises
L
Larrikin = Someone who’s always up for a laugh, bit of a harmless prankster
Legless = Someone who is really drunk
Lend of, to have a = to take advantage of somebody’s gullibility
Lippy = lipstick
Lollies = sweets, candy
M
Maccas = McDonalds
Manchester = household linen
Mate = buddy, friend
Mate’s rate, mate’s discount = cheaper than usual for a “friend”
Metho = methylated spirits
Middy = 285 ml beer glass in New South Wales
Milk bar = corner shop that sells takeaway food
Milko = milkman
Mob = family or herd (?) of kangaroos
Mob = group of people, not necessarily troublesome
Mongrel = despicable person
Moolah = money
Mozzie = mosquito
N
Never Never = the Outback, centre of Australia
Nipper = young surf lifesaver
No drama = no problem / it’s ok
No worries = no problem / it’s ok
No Wucka’s = no problem / it’s ok
No-hoper = somebody who’ll never do well
Nuddy, in the = naked
Nut out = hammer out or work out (an agreement, say)
O
O.S. = overseas (“he’s gone O.S.”)
Ocker = an unsophisticated person
Offsider = an assistant, helper
Old fella = penis
Oldies = parents – “I’ll have to ask my oldies”
Op shop = opportunity shop, thrift store, place where second hand goods are sold.
Outback = interior of Australia
Oz = Australia
P
Pash = to kiss
Pav = pavlova – a rich, creamy Australian dessert
Perve (noun & verb) = looking lustfully at the opposite sex
Piece of piss = easy task
Pig’s arse! = statement of disagreement
Piss = some beer
Piss Off = go away, get lost
Piss Up = a drinking get together
Piss, to = to urinate
Pissed off = annoyed
Pissed = intoxicated, drunk
Plate, bring a = instruction to bring a plate of food to share (on a bbq or party invite)
Plonk = cheap wine
Pokies = poker machines, gambling slot machines
Polly = politician
Pom, pommy, pommie = an Englishman
Porky = a lie, untruth (pork pie = lie)
Postie = postman, mailman
Pozzy = position
Prezzy = present, gift
Q
Quid, make a = earn a living
Quid, not the full = of low IQ
R
Rack off = push off! get lost!
Rage = party
Rapt = pleased, delighted
Ratbag = mild insult
Raw prawn, to come the = to bullshit, to be generally disagreeable
Reckon = for sure. ‘You Reckon?’… ‘I reckon!’
Reffo = refugee
Rego = vehicle registration
Rellie or relo = family relative
Ridgy-didge = original, genuine
Right, she’ll be = it’ll be all right
Ripper = great, fantastic
Road train = big truck with many trailers
Rock up = to turn up, to arrive
Rollie = a cigarette that you roll yourself
Roo = kangaroo
Roo bar = stout bar fixed to the front of a vehicle to protect it against hitting kangaroos
Root = polite synonym for f*ck
Ropeable = very angry
Rort (verb or noun) = cheating, fiddling, defrauding
Rotten = drunk
Rubbish, to = to criticize
Runners = Trainers, Sneakers
S
Salute, Aussie = brushing flies away
Salvos, the = Salvation Army
Sanger = a sandwich
Sav = saveloy (see also “fair suck of the sav!”)
Schooner = large beer glass
Scratchy = instant lottery ticket
Servo = petrol station
She’ll be apples = everything will be alright
Sheila = a woman
She’ll be right = it’ll turn out okay
Shit house (adj.) = of poor quality, unenjoyable
Shit house (noun) = toilet, lavatory
Shonky = dubious, underhanded.
Shoot through = to leave
Shout = turn to buy – a round of drinks usually
Sick = awesome
Sickie = a sick day off work, or ‘to pull a sickie’ would be to take a day off when you aren’t actually sick
Skite = boast, brag
Skull = to down a beer without taking a breath
Slab = a carton of 24 bottles or cans of beer
Sloppy Joe = windcheater, normally made from cotton
Smoko = cigarette or coffee break
Snag = sausage
Spag bol = spaghetti bolognese
Spewin’ = very angry
Spiffy, pretty spiffy = great, excellent
Spit the dummy = get very upset at something
Spruiker = man who stands outside a nightclub or restaurant trying to persuade people to enter
Sprung = caught doing something wrong
Spunk = a good looking person (of either sex)
Squizz = a look – “take a squizz at this”
Station = a big farm/grazing property
Stickybeak = nosy person
Stiffy = erection
Stoked = very pleased
Stonkered = beaten, defeated, cornered, perplexed
Straya = Australia
Strewth = an exclamation of surprise
Strides = trousers
Strine = Australian slang and pronunciation
Stubby = a 375ml. beer bottle
Stubby holder = polystyrene insulated holder for a stubby
Stuffed, I feel = I’m tired
Sunbake = sunbathe
Sunnies = sunglasses
Surfies = people who go surfing
Swag = rolled up bedding etc. carried by a swagman
Swaggie = swagman
Swagman = tramp, hobo
T
Tall poppies = successful people
Tall poppy syndrome = the tendency to criticise successful people
Tea = dinner
Technicolor yawn = vomit
Tee-up = to set up (an appointment)
Thingo = wadjamacallit, thingummy, whatsit
Thongs = cheap rubber backless sandals aka flip flops or slip slops
Tickets, to have on oneself = to have a high opinion of oneself
Tinny = can of beer
Tinny = small aluminium boat
Togs = swim suit
Too right! = definitely!
Trackie daks/dacks = tracksuit pants
Trackies = track suit
Troppo, gone = to have gone crazy
Truckie = truck driver
True blue = genuinely Australian
Tucker = food
Tucker-bag = food bag
Turps = turpentine, alcoholic drink
Turps, hit the = go on a drinking binge
Two up = gambling game played by spinning two coins simultaneously and legal on Anzac Day only
U
Ugg boots = Australian sheepskin boots
Uni = university
Unit = flat, apartment
Up oneself = have a high opinion of oneself
Up Yourself = Stuck up
Ute = utility vehicle, pickup truck
V
Vedgies = vegetables
Vee dub = Volkswagen
Veg out = relax in front of the TV (like a vegetable)
Vegemite = the registered trademark for a dark brown, salty, food spread made from yeast extract.
Vejjo = vegetarian
W
Waffle on = talk too much
Waggin’ school = playing truant
Watering hole = pub
Walkabout, it’s gone = it’s lost, can’t be found
Whinge = complain
Whingeing Pom = an Englishman who is always complaining.
White pointers = topless (female) sunbathers breasts
Whiteant (verb) = to criticise something to deter somebody from buying it
Wobbly = excitable complaint to someone
Wog = flu or trivial illness
Wog = person of Mediterranean origin
Wombat = somebody who eats, roots and leaves
Woop Woop = middle of nowhere
Wuss = coward; nervous person
Y
Ya = you
Yabber = talk a lot
Yabby = inland freshwater crayfish
Yarn = chat
Yakka = work (noun)
Yewy = u-turn in traffic
Yobbo = an uncouth person
Yous = (youse) plural of you
As you can see Australian slang can be quite colourful. We hope you have enjoyed learning some Australian slang and that it comes in handy on your visit to Australia.
There are also some expressions not included above:
Hang on a tick = Wait a moment
Good Onya = Good on you, good for you
She’ll be apples = It will be alright
No worries = no problem
Big smoke = big city
Piece of piss = very easy (task)
Its a no brainer = Its a foregone conclusion
Learn more about Australian culture.
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