🇦🇺 Australian English dictionary 🇺🇸

• 🇦🇺 Australiaice block

  🇺🇸 United Statespopsicle

  Words frozen flavoured ice on a stick

  🇦🇺 Grab an ice block from the freezer.

  🇺🇸 Grab a popsicle from the freezer.

  🗺️ Varies by state ☆ Save to my words
• 🇦🇺 Australiaicing sugar

  🇺🇸 United Statespowdered sugar

  Words very fine sugar for icing and dusting

  🇦🇺 Dust the cake with icing sugar.

  🇺🇸 Dust the cake with powdered sugar.

  ☆ Save to my words
• 🇦🇺 Australialolly

  🇺🇸 United Statescandy

  Words small sweet

  🇦🇺 The kids got a bag of lollies at the party.

  🇺🇸 The kids got a bag of candy at the party.

  ≈ Not an exact match ☆ Save to my words
• 🇦🇺 Australiamince

  🇺🇸 United Statesground meat

  Words meat cut into very small pieces

  🇦🇺 Buy half a kilo of beef mince for the pasta sauce.

  🇺🇸 Buy a pound of ground beef for the pasta sauce.

  ☆ Save to my words
• 🇦🇺 Australiaprawn

  🇺🇸 United Statesshrimp

  Words small shellfish

  🇦🇺 Throw another prawn on the barbie!

  🇺🇸 Throw another shrimp on the grill!

  ≈ Not an exact match ☆ Save to my words
• 🇦🇺 Australiarocket

  🇺🇸 United Statesarugula

  Words peppery salad leaf

  🇦🇺 Top the pizza with rocket and parmesan.

  🇺🇸 Top the pizza with arugula and parmesan.

  ☆ Save to my words

• 🇦🇺 Australiarockmelon

  🇺🇸 United Statescantaloupe

  Words melon with orange flesh

  🇦🇺 Cut up a rockmelon for the fruit platter.

  🇺🇸 Cut up a cantaloupe for the fruit platter.

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• 🇦🇺 Australiasilverbeet

  🇺🇸 United StatesSwiss chard

  Words leafy green vegetable with thick stems

  🇦🇺 Silverbeet is easy to grow in the backyard.

  🇺🇸 Swiss chard is easy to grow in the backyard.

  ☆ Save to my words
• 🇦🇺 Australiasnag

  🇺🇸 United Statessausage

  Words sausage, especially at a barbecue (casual)

  🇦🇺 They're selling snags outside the hardware store.

  🇺🇸 They're selling hot dogs outside the hardware store.

  💬 Informal ☆ Save to my words
• 🇦🇺 Australiaspring onion

  🇺🇸 United Statesscallion / green onion

  Words young onion with long green leaves

  🇦🇺 Sprinkle chopped spring onion on the noodles.

  🇺🇸 Sprinkle chopped scallions on the noodles.

  ☆ Save to my words
• 🇦🇺 Australiaswede

  🇺🇸 United Statesrutabaga

  Words round yellow root vegetable

  🇦🇺 Add diced swede to the winter soup.

  🇺🇸 Add diced rutabaga to the winter soup.

  ☆ Save to my words
• 🇦🇺 Australiatakeaway

  🇺🇸 United Statestakeout

  Words food bought to eat somewhere else

  🇦🇺 Let's just get Thai takeaway tonight.

  🇺🇸 Let's just get Thai takeout tonight.

  ☆ Save to my words

🎯 Quick quiz

10 questions from the words in this list. Pick the matching word from the other country.

What the labels mean

💬 Informal

A casual Australian word — fine with friends and at work, but use the neutral word in formal writing.

≈ Not an exact match

The two words overlap, but they don't cover exactly the same things, sizes or systems.

⇄ Both used in Australia

Australians also use the American word; the Australian word is simply more common or more traditional.

⚠️ False friend

The same word means something different in the other country — be careful (e.g. thongs, rubber, jumper).

🗺️ Varies by state

Australians in different states may prefer different words.

s/z -ise / -ize

Australian style prefers -ise (organise); -ize is sometimes seen but is the American standard.

n/v Noun ≠ verb

Australian English spells the noun and the verb differently (a licence / to license, a practice / to practise). American English uses one spelling for both.

Example sentences are written by AUSLEX. Spelling follows the Australian Government Style Manual. Both countries understand both words — these are everyday preferences, not strict rules.