Australian slang dictionary
The weird & wonderful world of Australian slang
Ever heard someone say they'll be chucking a snag on the barbie this arvo?
Or, that Gazza's feeling crook?
What about someone mentioning that old mate has given it a fair shake of the sauce bottle?
If you're wondering if there's a galah having a gander or a bloke eating a biccie – or if you're confusedly looking around for a bottle of tomato sauce – we get it. Australian slang is unique at the best of times, and total nonsense if you haven't come across it before.
So if you’ve ever been curious about Australian slang words, Aussie slang insults, or just want to understand what on earth people around you are actually saying, you’re in the right place.
This guide will take you through the most popular slang terms, giving you the ultimate Aussie slang dictionary so you'll be able to decode conversations – and she'll be apples! (Translation: it'll be fine and you'll do a great job).
A – E
Ace! – excellent!
Ankle biter – small child
Arvo – afternoon
Aussie – Australian
Aussie salute – brushing away flies with the hand
Back of Bourke – a very long way away
Barbie or BBQ – barbecue
Big smoke – a big city, especially Sydney or Melbourne
Bikkie – biscuit
Billabong – an oxbow lake cut off by a change in the river
Bloke – man, guy
Bloody – very (bloody hard yakka)
Bloody oath! – that’s certainly true
Blotto – very drunk
Blowie – blow fly
Bludger – lazy person
Bog in – commence eating
Bonzer – great, ripper
Bush telly – campfire
BYO – aka Bring Your Own: often wine at a restaurant or food to an event
Cactus – dead, not functioning
Corker – something excellent
Cozzie – swimming costume
Cranky – in a bad mood, angry
Crook – sick, or badly made
Cut lunch – sandwiches
Dag – a funny person
Daks – trousers
Dinkum, fair dinkum – true, real, genuine
Dipstick – a loser, idiot
Dosh – money
Down Under – Australia and New Zealand
Dunny – outside toilet
Earbashing – nagging
Esky – insulated food/drink container for picnics, barbecues, etc.
F – J
Fair dinkum – true, genuine
Fair go – a chance
Fair shake of the sauce bottle – taking your fair share or having a fair go
Fella – man
Flat stick or flat chat – very busy
Footy – Australian Rules football (AFL)
Furphy – false or unreliable rumour
G’Day – hello!
Galah – fool, silly person (also the proper name for a type of bird)
Give it a burl – try it, have a go
Good onya – good for you, well done
Grouse – great, terrific, very good
Have a gander – have a look at something
Heaps – a lot
Joey – baby kangaroo
Jug – electric kettle
K – O
Knackered – exhausted
Knock – to criticise
Knock back – refusal
Larrikin – a person who is always enjoying himself, harmless prankster
Lollies – sweets, candy
Mate – catch-all term for referring to friends or others. And importantly, sometimes not in a friendly way!
Moolah – money
Mozzie – mosquito
No worries or no drama! – expression of forgiveness or reassurance
Old mate – a friend or person you are referring to. Sometimes not a mate at all.
Outback – the remote and less populated inland districts of Australia
Oz – Australia
P – T
Pash – a long passionate kiss
Postie – postman, mailman
Pozzy – position
Prezzy – present, gift
Quid (make a quid) – money (earn a living)
Rack off – push off! Get lost!
Rapt – pleased, delighted
Ratbag – mild insult
Reckon! – you bet! Absolutely!
Rip snorter – great, fantastic, “it was a rip snorter of a party”
Ripper – great, fantastic
Rock up – to turn up
Roo – kangaroo
Sanger – a sandwich
She’ll be apples/she'll be right – it’ll turn out okay
Sheila – a woman
Shoot through – to leave
Shout – ie your shout, your turn to buy, a round of drinks usually
Sickie – day off sick
Smoko – smoke or coffee break
Snag – a sausage
Spit the dummy – get very upset at something
Sprung – caught doing something wrong
Stoked – totally thrilled about something
Sunbake – sunbathe
Sunnies – sunglasses
Surfies – people who go surfing
Swag – rolled up bedding
Tall poppies – successful people
Tea – supper or dinner
Tee-up – to set up
Thongs – cheap rubber backless sandals
Togs – swim suit
Too right! – definitely!
True blue – patriotic
Tucker – food
U – Z
Ugg boots – Australian sheepskin boots
Uni – university
Veggies – vegetables
Veg out – relax (perhaps in front of the TV)
Walkabout (it’s gone walkabout) – it’s lost, can’t be found
Whacker, whacka – idiot
Whinge – complain
Yakka – work, often combined with hard (hard yakka)
