Australian English dictionary

Browse A–Z

• ATO

  noun

  Australian Taxation Office.

  The ATO provides guidance on tax returns.

• auction clearance rate

  noun

  The proportion of scheduled property auctions reported as sold under a stated methodology.

  The report listed the auction clearance rate.

• auction guide

  noun

  An indicative price range or guide used in a property auction campaign.

  The auction guide was updated before the sale.

• Australia Day

  noun

  A national day observed on 26 January, which is also contested and mourned by some Australians.

  Australia Day is marked in different ways across the country.

• Australia Post

  noun

  The national postal service.

  I collected the parcel from Australia Post.

• Australian citizenship

  noun

  The legal status of being an Australian citizen, with the right to vote and hold an Australian passport.

  He applied for Australian citizenship after living here for years.

• Austudy

  noun

  A Centrelink payment for eligible full-time students aged 25 and over.

  He applied for Austudy when he went back to study.

• avo

  noun

  Avocado.

  She ordered toast with avo.

• award rate

  noun

  Minimum pay entitlement defined by an applicable industrial award.

  Confirm the relevant award rate for the job.

• bachelor degree

  noun

  A first university degree, usually taking three or four years.

  A bachelor degree in teaching takes four years.

• bail

  verb

  To leave suddenly or cancel plans at short notice.

  Sorry, I have to bail on dinner tonight.

• bandicoot

  noun

  A small long-snouted Australian marsupial.

  A bandicoot dug holes in the garden.

• bank statement

  noun

  A record from your bank showing money paid in and out of your account.

  The landlord asked for three months of bank statements.

• banksia

  noun

  An Australian plant genus known for distinctive flower spikes.

  The banksia attracted honeyeaters.

• barbie

  noun

  Barbecue meal or cooking event.

  We're having a barbie on Sunday.

• BAS

  abbreviation

  Business Activity Statement; an Australian tax reporting form for certain obligations.

  The bookkeeper prepared the BAS.

• battler

  noun

  An ordinary person who works hard and keeps going despite financial or personal difficulty.

  Dad was a real battler who never gave up.

• beat-up

  noun

  An exaggerated media story or controversy.

  Locals called the headline a beat-up.

• beaut

  adjective

  Excellent or very pleasing in informal speech.

  That's a beaut idea for the party.

• beetroot

  noun

  A dark-red root vegetable often eaten cooked or pickled.

  He added beetroot to his burger.

• bike lane

  noun

  A part of the road marked for bicycles.

  Ride in the bike lane where there is one.

• bikkie

  noun

  Biscuit or cookie.

  Have a bikkie with your tea.

• bill smoothing

  noun

  Paying the same amount each fortnight or month to spread energy costs evenly.

  Bill smoothing helps avoid a big winter bill.

• billabong

  noun

  A waterhole or cut-off channel associated with a river.

  Birds gathered around the billabong.

• bin night

  noun

  The evening when residents put bins out for collection.

  Thursday is bin night in our street.