Australian Slang Words and Phrases

Academic: university student or professor
Aggro: aggressive
Agro: Australian icon; children’s TV puppet made from a bathmat
Akubra: brand name for a type of hat
Amber nectar, Amber fluid: beer
Ambo: ambulance or ambulance attendant
Ammo: ammunition
ANZAC: Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
Arvo: afternoon
Auntie: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Aussie Salute: using a hand to wave away annoying blowflies
Back blocks: suburbs; outlying areas beyond the city limits
Back of Bourke: beyond remote outback town in northern New South Wales; or any place far away
Baggy green: a term used to describe the Australian Test Cricket Cap
Bail: depart or leave
Bail up: to rob or hold up; to stop someone in the street for a chat
Bananabender: someone from the State of Queensland (Queenslander)
Barbed wire: term for XXXX beer
Barbie: barbecue
Bargain: An exclamation showing approval
Barney: an argument or fight
Barrack: to cheer loudly for your favorite football team
Barro: embarrassing
Bathers: a swimsuit or swimbug trunks
Battler: someone who struggles to get by financially, against the odds
Bean Counter: an Accountant
Beanie: a wool hat
Beaut: beautiful; Good as in “You beaut!”
Bender: a heavy drinking session, usually lasting more than one day
Berko: to go berserk, mad
Betcha: I bet you. . . . .
Bewdy: beautiful or good as in Beaut above
Biffo: a fight
Big bikkies: lots of money
Bignote: a big head
Big smoke: the city
Big Sticks: Australian football goal posts
Bikie: someone who rides a motorcycle
Bikkie: a biscuit
Billabong: a tin used in the bush to boil water for tea
Billy: a fight
Bingle: a car accident
Bities: biting insects such as mosquitoes
Bit of a brothel: a mess
Bitser: a mongrel; “Bitser this, bitser that!”
Bizzo: business
Black Stump: a non-specific place in the outback
Bloke: a man; a guy
Blokey: a male domain; male orientated
Blotto: drunk
Blowie: blowfly
Blow-in: a newcomer
Bludger: a lazy person
Blue: an argument or fight
Blue swimmer: an Australian $10 dollar bill — blue in color
Bluey: a red head
Blundstones or Blunnies: elastic-sided workman’s boots
Boardies: shorts worn while surfing
Boatie: a person who is into sailing
Bonza: Great!
Boofhead: idiot
Boomerang: an Australian Aboriginal weapon made from a curved piece of wood that returns when thrown in the air; A scheme or plan that backfires
Booze bus: a Police vehicle used in random breathalyzer testing for alcohol overuse
Booze Cruise: a boat cruise along the river that either stops at waterside pubs or offers plenty of alcohol to on-board passengers
Bottleshop: a liquor store not run by the government
Brekkie: breakfast
Brissie or Brizzie: Brisbane, the capitol of Queensland
Brownnose: a creep or crawler
Brumby: a wild horse
B & S Ball: a dance for single men and women usually held in the bush or remote location, often includes large amounts of alcohol and mud
Buckley’s: not a chance!; no way will that happen
Buck’s Night: a stag party; a party for men only
Bunch of fives: a fist
Bundy: dark rum from Bundaberg, Queensland; sugarcane region
Bunyip: a mythical Australian creature with a piercing cry
Burl: to attempt or try
Bushed: very tired
Bush: outside the city
Bushie: a member of the Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade
Bushman’s brekkie: to have no breakfast
Bushranger: a Highwayman – someone who stops travellers for the purpose of robbing them
Bush Telegraph: news passed on by word of mouth
Bush Tucker: food gathered from nature, in the outback
Bushwalking: hiking in the bush
Cabbie: a Taxi driver
Cab Sav: Cabernet Sauvignon — a kind of white wine
Cack: to cackle or laugh; someone with a good sense of humor
Camo: camouflage clothing
Cancer stick: a cigarette
Cas: Hospital Casualty Ward, referred to as an Emergency Room in Canada and the US
Cask: wine that comes in a box, is contained inside a bladder, and has a pouring spout.
Castle: cricket Stumps
Cheerio: a cocktail sausage
Cheerio: goodbye
Cherry Ripe: chocolate coated cherry bar
Choof off: to leave or depart
Chook: chicken
Chooky: a term of affection
Chrissie: Christmas
Chuck a Mental: be angry or to throw a temper tantrum
Chuck a sickie: to call in sick so you get a paid day off work; usually means you are not really sick
Chuck a spaz: to be angry
Chuck a U-ie-: to make a U-turn
Chuck: throw up
Chunder: to be sick or vomit
Coathanger: a nickname for the Sydney Harbor Bridge
Cobber: a friend
Cockie: a cockroach or a cockatoo
Coldie: an ice cold beer
Compo: Worker’s Compensation Pay
Cooee: a call used to find someone lost in the bush
Cop out: to give up trying to do something or give in to another’s request
Cossie: a swimsuit
Country mile: a great distance
Crash: to go to sleep at someone else’s house
Crash hot: wonderful; the best
Crim: a criminal
Croc: a crocodile
Crock: nonsense, not true
Crook: a thief or a criminal
Crook: ill, sick
Croweater: someone from Southern Australia
Crumblies: elderly parents
Cuppa: a cup of tea
Cushie: to have it easy, e.g. “He has a cushie job.”
Cut lunch: sandwiches
Dag: nerd
Daks: men’s trousers
Damper: bread made from flour and water, cooked over an open fire in the bush.
Date roll: a roll of toilet paper
Deadcert: to be certain or definite
Deadhead: a good for nothing person
Dead horse: a sauce
Deadset: to be truthful
Dekko: take a look
Dero: a homeless person, a derelict, or hobo
Didgeridoo: Aboriginal musical instrument made from a hollowed log
Digger: an Australian soldier (usually WW1 veterans)
Dill: idiot
Dinkie-Di: genuine or honest
Dobber: an informant
Dob in: to inform on someone
Doco: a documentary program on television
Docs: Doctor Martin shoes, especially popular with Australia’s young people
Doonie: a duvet or quilt filled with down
Doozey: something nice or pleasing
Down Under: Australia or the Southern Pacific region of the world
Drizabone: a brand of waterproof wax coat
Drongo: idiot
Duck: no runs in cricket
Duck’s dinner: a drink of water with nothing to eat
Duds: trousers
Dunny: toilet; usually refers to the old outhouse
Earbash: non-stop chatter
Ekka: an exhibition
Esky: an insulated cooler box
Exsie: expensive
Face fungus: a mustache or beard
Fair dinkum: good, honest, truthful
Fair go: a good chance
Fang Carpenter: dentist
Fang: a snack or lunch
Fang it: drive fast
Farnarkle: talk rubbish, mess around
Fess up: confess, own up
Fireie: a firefighter
Flannie: a flannelette shirt
Floater: a meat pie served with mushy peas
Folkie: a person who enjoys folk music
Foodie: a person who is interested in fine foods
Footie: a regional term for either Australian Football or Rugby
Fossil: geriatric, an old person
Freddo frog: small frog shaped chocolate bar for children
Freebie: something that costs nothing
Freshie: a freshwater crocodile
Fruit loop: idiot
Full on: surprise or approval
furniture: cricket stumps
Furphy: a rumor or a lie
Gabba: Queensland Cricket Ground at Woolloongabba
Galah: a loud noisy person, like the squawking bird
Garbo: a garbageman, refuse collector
Garontee: you know
G’day: a greeting; hello; “A good day to you!”
Germ: an obnoxious person
Gerrie: geriatric, old person
God-botherer: a religious fanatic of the door-to-door variety
Good call: Well done!
Good Nick: good condition
Goodonyermate!: Good for you!; Well done!
Goog: egg
Gowings: Sydney Men’s Department Store
Green And Gold: Australian Sport National Team Colors
Grog: booze, liquor
Grog Shop: Licensed outlet selling alcohol
Grommet: a young surfer
Grotty: dirty, run-down
Grouse: fantastic, cool
Grumblebum: a complainer
Guernsey: to win approval to get a guernsey
Gumby: idiot
Gumsucker: a person from the state of Victoria
Gurgler: a sink drain hole
Gyno: gynecologist
Half your luck!: Congratulations!
Hard yards: hard work or training
Heart starter: the first alcoholic drink of the day
Heave: to vomit
Holy-dooley: an expression of surprise
Hoon: a loudmouth; to drive recklessly
Hoo-roo: Goodbye!
Hostie: an Airline Stewardess/Hostess; flight attendant
Hotel: a pub with or without sleeping accommodations
Humpy: a temporary home in the bush
Icypole: a popsicle; a frozen fruit flavored water treat that children love
Idiot box: television
Illywhacker: a merchant who cons people out of their money
Irrits: to be annoyed or irritated
Jackaroo: a male cattle or sheep station hand
Jaffa: an orange flavored chocolate ball with a hard orange coating — traditionally rolled down the aisle in the movie theater
Jaffle iron: a camping tool used to make toasted sandwiches
Jillaroo: a female cattle or sheep station hand
Jocks: men’s briefs or underwear
Joe Blow: an ordinary, average person
Joey: a baby Kangaroo
Jolly green giant:an Australian $100 dollar bill, green in color
Journo: a Journalist
Jumback: a young sheep
Kark it: die
Kindie: kindergarten
Kiwi: a New Zealander
Knock: criticize
Lamington: a small square of sponge cake covered with chocolate icing and dessicated coconut
Larrikin: a playful person
Lay by: to have a store hold merchandise until it is paid for by installments
Lippie: lipstick
Liquid laughter: vomit
Lobster: an Australian $20 dollar bill – red in color
Lollie or lolly: candy or a sweet
Longneck: a tall bottle of beer, 750 ml or 26 oz
Lucky country: a nickname for Australia
Lurk: an illegal practice, doge, scam a con, or racket
Lush: an attractive person
Maccas: a McDonalds Restaurant
Manchester: linen
Mate: a friend; used instead of someone’s name.
Mates Rates: a discount rate given to friends
Metho: methylated spirits
Middy: a glass of beer, 285 ml or 10 oz
Milko: a milkman – a person who delivers milk
Mollydooker: a person who is left-handed
Moon tan: a pale skinned person
Mozzie: mosquito
Muck-Up Day: the last day of High School, usually a day of pranks and mischief.
Mullet: idiot
Mystery bag: a meat pie
Narky: to be upset or moody
Neato: excellent
Never Never: a remote place in the outback
Nong: idiot
Norks: a woman’s breasts
No worries!: it is OK or everything is fine
Nude nut: a very short hair cut or a bald head
Nut ducker: a person on the street who pretends not to see you
Ocker: a loud mouthed person
Old cheese: mother
Olds: parents
On the nose: smelly
On the system: Someone who collects welfare
Onya: Good for you!
OS: overseas
Osteo: an Osteopath

Outback: remote location in the bush

Oz: a nickname for Australia
Pash: kissing
Patsy: a scapegoat; someone who takes the blame for another’s wrongdoing, whether he/she actually participated or not
Pavement pizza: vomit
Pav: Pavlova, an Australian dessert made with a meringue base and a fruit and cream filling.
Perve: a lustful gaze
Petrol: gasoline
Petrolhead: a car enthusiast
Piccy: a picture or photograph
Pike out: to leave a party early
Piker: a bore; a party pooper
Pineapple: An Australian $50 dollar bill — yellow in color
Pinnie: a pinball machine
Play sillybuggers: to waste time or mess around
Plonk: cheap wine
Plonko: a wine addict
Pokies: poker machines, slot or fruit machines
Pollie: a politician
Port: a suitcase, from the French word portmanteau meaning purse
Postie: the mailman
Pot: a glass of beer, 285 ml or 10 oz in Queensland and Victoria
Pozzie: position or seat
Preggers: to be pregnant
Prezzie: a present or a gift
Pullie: a pullover, sweater, or jumper
Pyro: a pyromaniac, someone who likes to start fires
Queensland nut: a Macadamia nut
Quids in: to have some money left
Rabbit: an idiot
Racehorse: a thinly rolled cigarette
Rafferty’s Rules: to have no rules, anything goes
Rage: to party on
Railway tracks: the braces orthodontists use to straighten teeth
Rammies: trousers
Rapt: pleased
Rattler: a train
Redback: an Australian $20 dollar bill – red in color
Rego: registration
Rellies: relatives
Retread: a person who returns to work after retiring
Ridgey-didge: genuine, honest
Ring-in: an outsider or non-local; a regular at a pub or club.
Rip-snorter: an excellent thing
Rissole: a nickname for an RSL Club
Road-train: a long semi-trailer used to transport cattle over long distances
Roids: steroids; a drug that athletes use illegally to add muscle, strength and endurance
Rollies: a hand rolled or homemade cigarette
Roo: a kangaroo
Rottie: a Rottweiler; a breed of dog that many cities in Canada and the US designate as vicious due to interbreeding

RSL: Returned Services League social club; good place to play pool or have a counter lunch
Rugged up: to be dressed in warm clothing
Rugrat: a baby who has learned how to crawl
Saltie: a saltwater crocodile
Salvo: a Salvation Army Worker
Sandgroper: a person from the State of West Australia
Sanger: a sandwich
Sarky: to be sarcastic
Schoolies Week: end-of-school parties, especially held at the Gold Coast; fun/trouble
Schooner: a 425ml glass of beer
Scratchie: an instant lottery ticket you scratch to win
Shoot through: to leave
Shout: a round of beer/drinks
Shrapnel: coins, small change
Shufti: to have a look
Sickie: a paid day off work, usually not because of illness. “I’m gonna chuck a sickie tomorra.”
Singlet: a sleeveless T-shirt or vest
Sleep-out: the rear porch of a house that has been converted to an extra bedroom.
Smoko: a work break for a cigarette or a cup of tea
Snag: sausage
Snakey: to be irritable
Sook: crybaby
Spag Bol/Bog: spaghetti Bolognaise
Sparrow’s fart: dawn
Special: a discounted item in a store
Speedos: men’s swimming trunks
Spewing: vomit; very upset or angry
Spit the dummy: to be uncontrollably upset
Sprogs: offspring, children
Spunky: good looking, hot
Squiz: have a look at
Station: a large farm (ranch) in the outback
Stickybeak: a nosy person
Stinger: a box jellyfish
Stormstick: an umbrella
Straight-up: truthful or honest
Strife: trouble
Stubbie holders: an insulated holder to keep beer cold
Stubbies: a short bottle of beer or men’s shorts
Sucked in: to be duped, conned
Sunnies: sunglasses
T.A.B.: Totalizator Agency Board, a betting shop
Tall polly: a successful person in a particular field
Tassie: Tasmania
Tech head: a person who is an electronics expert, also refers to computer nuts
Techie: a technician
Technicolour Yawn: to vomit
The Alice: Alice Springs
The Gong: Wallongong
Thingo: used as a substitute for the name of something or someone you have forgotten or do not know
Thongs: rubber sandals, flip-flops
Thongs: Tasmania
Tim Tam: a chocolate sandwich biscuit covered in chocolate
Tinnie fish: the beer you drink on a fishing trip
Tinnie: a can of beer
Tomato: cricket balls
Top-ender: a person who lives at the top end of the Northern Territories
Trackie-daks: track suit pants
Troppo: to be slightly mad from being in the sun too long
Truckie: a truck driver
True blue: genuinely Australian
Tub: a bathtub, but also refers to a shower
Tucker chute: mouth
Tucker: food
Twisties: cheese-flavored twisted crisps
Two-up: a gambling game played by throwing two coins into the air from a container
Uggies: ugly sheepskin boots or slippers; someone who is very ugly
U-ie: U-turn
Undies: underwear
Unit: an apartment or condominium
Unreal!: Excellent! or Unbelievable!
Up yourself: to speak highly of yourself, inflated ego
Ute: a utility van with a tray top used by tradesmen