Meanings
plural cobbers
- AustraliadatedslangA pal, buddy, mate, friend; often used in direct address by one male to another.
G'day cobber!
5 more examples
What's up, cobber?
“He′s a good cobber, even if he is the parson,” he said at last. “He′s a good cobber.” “That′s right,” said Jim patiently. “He′s a good cobber, and he′s the parson. Now you buzz off and leave him be. We′ve got business to talk here.”
1953, Nevil Shute, In the Wet, published 2010, unnumbered pageHe was the first member of our forces we had seen for five months. “Hi ya, cobber,” muttered Don.
1955, Charles McCormac, “You′ll Die in Singapore!”, page 181‘G’day there, Jessie. How’s tricks? You know me cobber?’ ‘Know him? Course I know him!’
1960, J. E. Macdonnell, Don't Gimme the Ships, Melbourne: Horwitz Publications, page 28A voice from out of nowhere challenged: “Who is going away cobber?” “Bob!” I shouted. “Boy, am I glad to see you ... Where the hell have you been, my dear bloody cobber?”
2009, George W. Adams, Under the Southern Cross, page 137
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Hebrewחבר“friend”
- Yiddishחבֿר“friend, comrade”
- Englishcobber
Uncertain. Perhaps from Yiddish חבֿר (khaver, “friend, comrade”), from Hebrew חבר (ḥāḇēr, “friend”), possibly via Dutch gabber; alternately, perhaps from the British dialectal term cob (“take a liking to”), or a conflation of both. The suggestion that it is a self-referential collective term for convicts and immigrants who departed for Australian shores from the Irish port of Cobh seems chronologically unlikely. Another source could stem from the pre federation mail and passenger service Cobb and Co.
More words from Yiddish, Hebrew
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Polish stary
- staryAustralian: a pal, buddy, mate, friend
Russian приятель, старина
- приятель (prijatelʹ)Australian: a pal, buddy, mate, friend
- старина (starina)Australian: a pal, buddy, mate, friend
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with cobber
Cite this entry
cobber. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cobber
“cobber.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cobber. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cobber,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cobber.
Source: cobber on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.