Australian Slang Dictionary - Your Guide to Aussie Slang

Our famous Australian Slang Dictionary includes many slang words from the unique version of the English language that is used throughout Australia.

Australian slang has been developed over the last couple of centuries of Australian settlement and is certainly very colourful. Australia's unique version of English is usually referred to as "Australian Slang", "Aussie Slang", or "Australian Strine".

Australian slang is common not only in the outback, but throughout the entire country. So make sure you study our Australian Slang Dictionary before your visit - even if you are already familiar with English!

It is said that visitors and migrants often have quite a struggle with deciphering the colloquialisms that make up every day speech in Australia, so enjoy having a look at our Australian Slang Dictionary below.

Australian Slang

A

B

Acca Dacca - AC/DC (a famous Australian band)

Ace - Excellent, very good, really great

Aggro - Annoyed, angry, aggressive

Alco - Alcoholic

Amber Fluid - Beer

Ambo/s - Ambulance, ambulance crew

Ammo - Ammunition

Ankle biter - Child

Arc Up - To lose one's temper

Arse over tit - Fall over

Arvo - Afternoon

Aussie - Australian

Avo - Avocado

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Bail - Leave, depart; "Let's Bail!"

Back of Bourke - In the middle of nowhere

Bangers - Sausages

Barbie - Barbeque, BBQ

Barney - Fight, Argue

Barra - Barrumundi

Bathers - Swimming attire

Bean counter - Accountant

Beer O'clock - Time for a beer

Bee's knees - The best, "it's the bee's knees!"

Big smoke - Large city

Bikkie - Biscuit

Billabong - A waterhole

Billy - a lightweight cooking pot in the form of a metal bucket. Commonly used for boiling water / making tea over a campfire

Bingle - Crash

Bingo wings - Flabby upper arms

Bloke - Man

Blood nut - Person with red hair

Blotto - Very drunk, shitfaced, pissed

Blowie - A blowfly

Bludger - A lazy person

Bonzer - Great; excellent, "That show was bonzer!"

Booze - Alcohol, grog

Booze bus - Police vehicle used for alcohol testing of drivers

Bored shitless - extremely bored

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C

D

Cabbie - Taxi driver

Cactus - Wrecked, not working

Cakehole - Mouth, "shut your cakehole!"

Call it a day - Finish work

Cancer stick - Cigarette

Carby - Carburettor

Cark it - Die, stop functioning

Cheesed off - Annoyed

Chewy - Chewing gum

Chippy - Carpenter

Chocco - Reserve soldier, a "chocolate soldier"

Coldie - A beer

Chocky - Chocolate

Chrissie - Christmas

Chuck up - Vomit

Chuck a sickie - Pretend you're sick to get a day off work

Chuck a spaz - To lose your temper

Chuck a u-ie - To make a 180 degree turn

Chuck a wobbly - Lose your temper

Chunder - Vomit

Coathanger, the - Sydney Harbour Bridge

Cockie - Cocakatoo, farmer

Come a gutser - Fall over, fall off

Couch potato - Someone who lazes around a lot

Cranky - Irritated, angry

Crash - Go to sleep

Crook - Feel sick, a criminal

Cuppa - Cup of tea or coffee

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Dacks - Trousers/Pants

Dead horse - Tomato sauce

Dead ringer - bears a striking resemblance to

Dead set - The truth, fact

Dero - Derelict

Dial - Face

Dick - Penis

Dickhead - An idiot, fool

Digger - Australian soldier

Dill - Idiot

Dimwit - Unintelligent person

Dinky Di - Real!

Doco - A documentary

Dole bludger - Someone who chooses not to work and relies on social welfare

Donger - Penis

Donk - An engine

Doodle - Penis

Doogs - Marbles; or game of marbles

Down Under - Australia

Drongo - A dimwit

Dunny - Toilet

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E

F

Ear bashing - Talking non-stop, nagging

Egghead - A bald person

Ekka - The annual Brisbane Show

Elbow grease - Hard Work

Esky - Insulated food/drink container

Esky lid - A bodyboard / boogie board

Every man and his dog - A lot of people, "every man and his dog was there"

Exy - Expensive

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Facey - Facebook

Face like a smashed crab - An ugly face

Fair crack of the whip - Equal opportunity

Fair dinkum - Honest, genuine

Fair go - Equal opportunity

Fart in the wind - to disappear suddenly "He left like a fart in the wind"

Fiddlesticks - Not true, nonsense

Flat out - Full speed

Flat out like a lizard drinking - Working hard and fast, busy

Flog - To steal something, or to hit someone

Footy - Australian Rules football, or Rugby League

Full - Drunk

Freo - Fremantle

Full/Full as a boot - Drunk

Furphy - False or unreliable rumour

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G

H

G'day - Hello

Gander - Look, "have a gander at that!"

Garbo/Garbologist - Garbage collector

Give it a burl - To try it

Gob - Mouth

Gobful, give a - To abuse

Gobsmacked - Surprised

Goes like the clappers - Describes something that is very fast

Goldy, the - The Gold Coast

Gongs - Military medals

Good as Gold - Used to describe something that is good

Good oil - Truth

Good onya - Well done

Goog, full as a - Full of food or alcohol

Greenie - Environmentalist

Grog - Alcohol

Grot - A dirty person

Grouse - Excellent, very good

Grumblebum - A grumpy person

Grundies - Underwear

Gutfull of piss, had a - Drunk

Gutless wonder - A coward

Gyno - Gynaecologist

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Hair of the Dog - Alcoholic drink taken to ease a hangover

Happy Little Vegemite - A happy person

Hard yakka - Hard work

Harold Holt, to do the - Disappear

Heaps - A lot

Hen's Night - A party for a woman who is going to get married

Hissy Fit - A temper tantrum "he had a hissy fit"

Hooley Dooley - An explanation of surprise

Hoon - Hooligan, irresponsible driver

Hoo roo - Goodbye

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I

J

Icy pole - Popsicle

Idiot box - Television

In good nick - In good condition "That car is in good nick"

In like Flynn - On a winner "He was in like Flynn"

In the shit- In trouble

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Jack of it - Had enough

Jiffy - A short time, "Back in a jiffy"

Jingoes - Exclamation of surprise, "By jingoes!"

Joe Blake - A snake

Joey - Baby kangaroo

Jumbuck - A sheep

John - Toilet

Journo - Journalist

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K

L

Kanga - Kangaroo (pronounced kang-ga)

Kark it - Die

Kip - Nap, "I had a kip"

Kero - Kerosene

Knackered - Tired, Exhausted

Knock - To criticise

Knock back - To refuse

Knocker - A criticising person

Knuckle sandwich - A punch in the mouth

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Lag - To dob on someone, "Who lagged on me?"

Lappy - Laptop

Larrikin - A mischievous, but good hearted, person

Laughing gear - Mouth

Leadfoot - Someone who drives fast

Lippy - Lipstick

Lob in - Visit someone

Lobbed up - Arrived unexpectedly

Lollies - Sweets, candy

Longneck - Large bottle of beer (typically 700ml or 750ml)

Loo - Toilet

Lucky country, the - Australia

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M

N

Maccas - McDonald's

Mad as a cut snake - Crazy

Make a quid - Earn a dollar

Mallee bull, fit as a - Very fit, strong

Mash - Mashed potatoes

Mate - A friend

Metho - Methylated spirits

Mob - Group of people, group of kangaroos

Mongrel - A despicable person

Moolah - Money

Mozzie - Mosquito

Mug - Someone easily fooled

Muso - Musician

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Nappy - Diaper

Nipper - Young child, or young surf lifesaver

Nasho - Someone who has been conscripted into the military (National Service)

Nick - Steal

Nick off - Go away, "Nick off!"

Nitty Gritty - Finer details, fineprint

Noah - A shark

Noggin - Head

No hoper - Someone who will never achieve much

Nong - A fool

Nose, on the - Smelly

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O

P

O.S. - Overseas

Ocker - Uncultured, unsophisticated, Australian stereotype

Offsider - An assistant

Off the beaten track - Remote area

Off ya face - Drunk

Old fella - Penis

Oldies - Parents

Ol' cheese - Mother

Ol' man - Father

Ol' lady - Mother

On for young and old - A fight or argument

On the piss - Drinking alcohol

Op shop - Opportunity shop, second hand goods store

Open slather - Anything goes

Outback - Interior of Australia

Out in the sticks - A remote area

Oz - Australia

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Pash - Long, passionate kiss

Pav - Pavlova (a type of Australian dessert)

Perv - Look lustfully at the opposite sex

Piece of piss - A simple task

Piss - Alcohol, booze

Piss - Urinate

Pissed - Drunk

Plonk - Cheap alcohol

Pokies - Poker machines

Pozzie - Position, spot

Prezzy - A present, gift

Pub - Hotel, drinking establishment

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Q

R

Quack - A doctor, "I gotta go see the quack"

Queensland Safety Boots - Open shoes (thongs, flip flops, jandals)

Quid, make a - Earn a living "To make a quid"

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Rack Off - "Get out of here!"

Rego - Vehicle registration

Reno - Short for renovation

Ridgy Didge - Genuine, the original

Right, she'll be - Everything will be alright

Ripper - Great

Rip Snorter - Great, sensational, "it was a rip snorter of an event"

Rock Up - To turn up or arrive

Rooted - Ruined, broken

Ropeable - Extremely angry, furious

Rotten - Drunk, "Rotten Drunk"

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S

T

Sanger / Sambo - Sandwich

S'arvo - This afternoon

Schmick - Stylish

Sec - Short for a second "I'll be back in a sec"

Seedy - Hungover

Servo - A petrol/service station

She'll be Apples - It'll be alright

Sheep Shagger - A New Zealander

Shindig - A lively party

Shoot Through - To leave

Sickie - Have a day off work

Sinking Piss - Drinking alcohol

Smoko - Cigarette or coffee break

Snag - Sausage

Sook - A whinger, an inoffensive person

Spag Bol - Spaghetti Bolognese

Sparky - Electrician

Sparrow's Fart - Very early in the morning

Spewin' - Very upset or angry

Spit the Dummy - Get very upset at something

Sprung - Caught doing something wrong

Spunk - An attractive person

Strewth - Exclamation

Strides - Trousers/Pants

Stoked - Very pleased

Stubbie - A short bottle of beer (normally 375ml)

Stoked - Attractive woman, "she's a stunner"

Swagman - A hobo or itinerant worker, walks from farm to farm for work

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Tall Poppy - A successful person

Tall Poppy Syndrome - A tendency to criticise successful people

Tallie - A 750ml bottle of beer

Technicolour yawn - Vomit

Tellie - Television

Thongs - Flipflops, jandles (NZ), plakkies (SA)

Tickets, to have on oneself - To have a high opinion of oneself

Tinny - Can of beer

Togs - Swim suit

Top End - Northern Australia

Trackie dacks - Tracksuit pants

Trackies - Tracksuit

Truckie - Truck driver

Turps - Turpentine

Turps, hit the - Drinking binge

Twit - A fool

Tub, have a - Have a bath

Tucker bag - A traditional food or dinner storage bag used in the Australian outback.

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U

V

Ugg Boots - Australian sheepskin boots

U-ie - To do a u-turn when driving

Uni - University

Up the Duff - Pregnant

Useless as Tits on a Bull - Incompetent person or object

Ute / Uterus - Utility vehicle, passenger vehicle with a cargo tray, pickup truck

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Veggies - Vegetables

Vee Dub - Vokswagen

Veggo - Vegetarian

Veg out - Laze about

Vic - Victoria

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W

X

Wag - Not go to school (truancy)

Wanker - An idiot

Watering hole - Pub

Whinge - Complain

Wholly snappin' duck shit - An exclamation of surprise

Woolies - Woolworths (a large supermarket chain)

Wuss - A coward / nervous person

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XXXX - A Queensland brand of beer ("Four X")

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Y

Z

Ya - You, "what are ya doin?"

Yack - Talk, "to have a yack"

Yakka - Work, "hard yakka"

Yank - An American, to pull ("yank on something")

Yobbo - Loutish person

Yonks - A long time "That was yonks ago"

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Zed - The letter Z

Zip it - Used to tell someone to be quiet "Hey, zip it"

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Comments

If you have any suggestions to add to our Australian Slang Dictionary please let us know via our Contact Page. We are constantly adding new words and phrases to our Australian Slang Dictionary to ensure that it is as comprehensive and up to date as possible. We would really appreciate your input!

Resources


If you've enjoyed our Australian Slang Dictionary you may be interested in checking out some other slang dictionaries from around the world. We recommend the following sites as good references:

Lexilogos - Words and wonders of the world

Omniglot - The online encyclopedia of writing systems and languages