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50 Australian words and phrases Americans just don’t get

24/7 Wall Street
If you ' re traveling to Australia, you may hear some of these words and phrases that that are unfamiliar to Americans. To find a representative selection of Australian terms and their definitions, 24/7 Tempo used a variety of online sources, including the Australian National Dictionary Centre and the Australian National University ’ s School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics. Scroll through to learn more.
If you're traveling to Australia, you may hear some of these words and phrases that that are unfamiliar to Americans. To find a representative selection of Australian terms and their definitions, 24/7 Tempo used a variety of online sources, including the Australian National Dictionary Centre and the Australian National University’s School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics. Scroll through to learn more.
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Aggro • Aggravation, or the state of being aggravated or upset.
Aggro • Aggravation, or the state of being aggravated or upset.
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Arvo • Afternoon. S ' arvo means " this afternoon. "
Arvo • Afternoon. S'arvo means "this afternoon."
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Banana bender • Someone from the state of Queensland in northeastern Australia. Bananas are a major crop in the tropical portions of the state, and the joke is that they grow straight on trees and have to be curved into their familiar form by hand.
Banana bender • Someone from the state of Queensland in northeastern Australia. Bananas are a major crop in the tropical portions of the state, and the joke is that they grow straight on trees and have to be curved into their familiar form by hand.
Mastamak / Getty Images
Bathers • Swimwear, also known as togs or swimmers.
Bathers • Swimwear, also known as togs or swimmers.
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Bikie • A member of a motorcycle gang.
Bikie • A member of a motorcycle gang.
Eleni Mac Synodinos / Getty Images
Blind Freddy • Also Blind Freddie. Someone who just doesn ' t get it; an oblivious person.
Blind Freddy • Also Blind Freddie. Someone who just doesn't get it; an oblivious person.
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Bludger • A lazy person or freeloader; someone who doesn ' t contribute a fair share. The term was originally British slang for a pimp and by extension someone who sits around while somebody else earns the money.
Bludger • A lazy person or freeloader; someone who doesn't contribute a fair share. The term was originally British slang for a pimp and by extension someone who sits around while somebody else earns the money.
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Bodgie • A long-haired young man in the 1950s, part of a youth subculture group analogous to the Teddy Boys of England. Bodgies were often accompanied by widgies, the female equivalent to a bodgie.
Bodgie • A long-haired young man in the 1950s, part of a youth subculture group analogous to the Teddy Boys of England. Bodgies were often accompanied by widgies, the female equivalent to a bodgie.
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Bogan • Someone uninformed or unsophisticated, especially someone with a working-class background. Bogan was originally considered a disparaging term but is now seen as a prideful reference to Australia ' s disregard for convention.
Bogan • Someone uninformed or unsophisticated, especially someone with a working-class background. Bogan was originally considered a disparaging term but is now seen as a prideful reference to Australia's disregard for convention.
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Bottle-o • Also bottloe. A liquor store.
Bottle-o • Also bottloe. A liquor store.
Danox / Flickr
Brekky • Also brekkie. Breakfast.
Brekky • Also brekkie. Breakfast.
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Bruce • A typical Australian male.
Bruce • A typical Australian male.
Courtesy Of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Chockers • Completely full.
Chockers • Completely full.
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Chook • Chicken.
Chook • Chicken.
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Chrissie • Christmas, an occasion on which you might want to buy your friends and family " prezzies.
Chrissie • Christmas, an occasion on which you might want to buy your friends and family "prezzies.
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Chunder • Vomit, as a verb or noun.
Chunder • Vomit, as a verb or noun.
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Cobber • A friend, a buddy.
Cobber • A friend, a buddy.
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Come the raw prawn • Don ' t try to fool me.
Come the raw prawn • Don't try to fool me.
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Dag • An unfashionable or socially inept person; a nerd. Dags are also clumps of wool matted with dung around a sheep ' s rear end.
Dag • An unfashionable or socially inept person; a nerd. Dags are also clumps of wool matted with dung around a sheep's rear end.
Sjharmon / Getty Images
Daks • Also dacks. Trousers. Trackie- or tracky-daks is a tracksuit. To dak someone is to pull their pants down as a prank.
Daks • Also dacks. Trousers. Trackie- or tracky-daks is a tracksuit. To dak someone is to pull their pants down as a prank.
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Defo • Also defs. Definitely.
Defo • Also defs. Definitely.
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Dogged it • Didn ' t show up.
Dogged it • Didn't show up.
SolStock / Getty Images
Drongo • An idiot or simpleton.
Drongo • An idiot or simpleton.
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Esky • A portable cooler, named for a brand of ice chest called the Eskimo.
Esky • A portable cooler, named for a brand of ice chest called the Eskimo.
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Fair go • A fair chance or a square deal.
Fair go • A fair chance or a square deal.
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Garbo • A garbage collector.
Garbo • A garbage collector.
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Good on ya • Well done; good going; good for you.
Good on ya • Well done; good going; good for you.
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Lay-by • The system of advance partial payment for merchandise that we call layaway.
Lay-by • The system of advance partial payment for merchandise that we call layaway.
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Macca ' s • Mickey D ' s aka McDonald ' s.
Macca's • Mickey D's aka McDonald's.
Dave Kotinsky / Getty Images For McDonald's
Moz • Jinx or bad influence. Also to jinx.
Moz • Jinx or bad influence. Also to jinx.
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Mozzie • Also mossie. A mosquito.
Mozzie • Also mossie. A mosquito.
Nechaev-kon / Getty Images
Ocker • A stereotypical boorish Australian man; a bogan.
Ocker • A stereotypical boorish Australian man; a bogan.
Davidf / Getty Images
Onya • " On you, " as in " Good onya.
Onya • "On you," as in "Good onya.
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Pom • Also pomme, pommy or pommie. Originally any immigrant from the British Isles; now applied to Brits (and especially the English) in general.
Pom • Also pomme, pommy or pommie. Originally any immigrant from the British Isles; now applied to Brits (and especially the English) in general.
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Possie • A position or place, as in a good possie to sit.
Possie • A position or place, as in a good possie to sit.
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Runners • Sneakers or running shoes.
Runners • Sneakers or running shoes.
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Sanger • Sandwich. The earlier term was " sango, " but this form has been common since the 1960s.
Sanger • Sandwich. The earlier term was "sango," but this form has been common since the 1960s.
Littleny / Getty Images
Servo • A service station or gas station – called a petrol station in Australia.
Servo • A service station or gas station – called a petrol station in Australia.
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Shark biscuit • A novice surfer or a surfer in general (or his/her board).
Shark biscuit • A novice surfer or a surfer in general (or his/her board).
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Sheila • A woman or girl.
Sheila • A woman or girl.
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Shonky • Sneaky or underhanded.
Shonky • Sneaky or underhanded.
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Sickie • A sick day from work or school, especially one taken without a valid medical reason.
Sickie • A sick day from work or school, especially one taken without a valid medical reason.
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Snag • A sausage, probably from a Scots dialect term (also " snag) meaning a morsel or light meal. Other Australian words for sausage include " snarler " and " snork.
Snag • A sausage, probably from a Scots dialect term (also "snag) meaning a morsel or light meal. Other Australian words for sausage include "snarler" and "snork.
SolStock / Getty Images
Stubby • A short, thick beer bottle, typically holding 375 ml.
Stubby • A short, thick beer bottle, typically holding 375 ml.
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Stunned mullet • Someone who ' s stupefied or out of it. A mullet (fish) that ' s just been landed is typically goggle-eyed and open-mouthed.
Stunned mullet • Someone who's stupefied or out of it. A mullet (fish) that's just been landed is typically goggle-eyed and open-mouthed.
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Sunnies • Sunglasses, for obvious reasons.
Sunnies • Sunglasses, for obvious reasons.
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Thongs • Not underwear, but flip-flops.
Thongs • Not underwear, but flip-flops.
-slav- / Getty Images
Troppo • Wild or crazy; mentally deranged.
Troppo • Wild or crazy; mentally deranged.
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Yakka • Also yakker and yacker. Hard work. From " yaga, " a term for work in the indigenous Yagara language.
Yakka • Also yakker and yacker. Hard work. From "yaga," a term for work in the indigenous Yagara language.
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