Australian Slang is a comprehensive reference guide to the most contemporary Aussie slang. This page explores the terms and phrases, which illuminate virtually every aspect of Australian people.
The names we give ourselves are probably some of the most colourful slang we use every day such as chippie, garbo and polly. Speaking of polly, our American friend, Sara, was watching the news on TV and asked what was all the fuss about the birds. Watching the same show, we didn’t see any story about birds. She said it was something about a polly. We explained that polly was short for politician.
Sara was surprised that the newsreader would use slang in reading the news. A few minutes later she told us she thought polly was a good name for politicians. American pollys often squawk and talk about things they don’t understand.
Maybe that IS why we call ours pollys. A few we know fit that description.
You’re flying overseas, try calling an American airline hostess a “trolly dolly”. It may be humorous, but it’s probably not a politically correct way to address the ladies.
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| Casual Worker | someone who works part time or as temporary help |
| Jackaroo | male station hand |
| Jillaroo | female station hand |
| Stockman | person who tends livestock on horseback. (Cowboy USA) |
| Cow Cockie | dairy farmer |
| Fruit Cockie | fruit farmer |
| Greengrocer | person who sells fruit and vegetables |
| Milko | milkman |
| Offsider | assistant or helper |
| Chippie | carpenter |
| Sparky | electrician; also called a leckie |
| Brickie | bricklayer |
| Postie | postman, mailman, mail delivery person |
| Trolly Dolly | airline hostess |
| Fang Carpenter | dentist |
| Chemist | drug store, pharmacy. Also person filling prescriptions. In the USA the place is called a pharmacy, while the person is called a pharmacist. |
| Trucky | driver of large trucks |
| Umpie | umpire |
| Wax-head | surfer |
| Wharfie | dockside worker, longshoreman |
| Garbo | garbage collector (American); dustman (British) |
| Dunnyman | person who empties toilet cans where there is no sewer connected |
| Seppo | person who empties the dunny or septic tank. Also another word for an American (said in humour) |
| Bushranger | outlaw |
| Duffers | thieves, i.e. cattle duffer (cattle thief) |
| Hoon | hooligan |
| Mongrel | despicable person |
| Ratbag | rascal; rogue; person who has non-conforming behaviour. Can be used with humour said to a friend. |
| Bludger | person who won’t work, extremely lazy |
| Dole Bludger | person who avoids work preferring to live on welfare |
| Crim | criminal |
| Dip | pickpocket |
