Australianism

A1U1S1T1R1A1L1I1A1N1I1S1M3

noun

A word or phrase only used in Australia, or having a special meaning there.

OriginEnglish Australian ← Latin terra austrālis incōgnitainflu. ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

nounAustralianism (plural Australianisms)

plural Australianisms

  1. rhetoricA word or phrase only used in Australia, or having a special meaning there.

    For example, the expression no worries is viewed as an Australianism even though it is now widespread throughout other parts of the English-speaking world.

    2016, James Lambert, “Ornithonymy and Lexicographical Selection Criteria”, in International Journal of Lexicography, volume 30, number 1, pages 39–62

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ews-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éwss?
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éwsteros
  4. Proto-Italic*austeros
  5. Latinauster
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  8. Latinaustrālis
  9. Latinterra austrālis incōgnitainflu.
  10. EnglishAustralia
  11. EnglishAustralian
  12. EnglishAustralianism

From Australian + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French australianisme
  • australianismelinguistic feature
Polish australianizm
  • australianizmlinguistic feature
Cite this entry
APA

Australianism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Australianism

MLA

“Australianism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Australianism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Australianism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Australianism.

Source: Australianism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.