Tag: WORD OF THE MONTH
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Oxford Word of the Month – February: Field day
noun: (in rural areas) a day set aside for the display and demonstration of new machinery and farming equipment; a day organised for the discussion of specific agricultural problems, innovations, and techniques. THE STORY BEHIND THE WORD OF THE MONTH Field days in Australia began in the 1890s as an educational service for farmers. The…
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Oxford Word of the Month – January: Australian tea
noun: a social fundraising event that usually includes the sale and purchase of donated items. THE STORY BEHIND THE WORD OF THE MONTH In 1915, the newspaper Nhill Free Press gave notice of a social event soon to take place: On Thursday, July 29th, a function to be called an ‘Australian Tea’ will be held in…
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Oxford’s Australian Words of 2015
Each year the ANDC selects a Word of the Year. The words chosen for the shortlist are not necessarily new, or exclusively Australian, but are selected on the basis of having come to some prominence in the Australian social and cultural landscape during the year. Oxford Word of the Year – 2015: Sharing economy The Oxford…
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Oxford Word of the Month – December: Humidicrib
noun: an incubator that monitors and controls warmth and humidity, in which premature babies are kept until they are able to survive outside it. THE STORY BEHIND THE WORD OF THE MONTH On 23 July 1946 the Wingham Chronicle announced an ‘order placed for a humidicrib—a new invention for helping the development of premature babies,…
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Oxford Word of the Month – November: Schmick up
verb: to smarten (something) up; to renovate (something); to improve (something) superficially. THE STORY BEHIND THE WORD OF THE MONTH Six years ago in a Word of the Month we reported on our research into the word schmick, an adjective meaning ‘stylish, excellent’. At the time we noted it had become very common in Australian…
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Oxford Word of the Month – October: Flagfall
flagfall – noun: 1 An initial minimum hiring charge for a taxi, as part of the overall fare. 2 A fixed initial charge incurred when making a call on a mobile phone. Today mobile phone charges in Australia may include a flagfall fee—a fixed amount that is part of the cost of the call. The…
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Oxford Word of the Month – September: CUB
CUB – noun: an affluent bogan. In an article in the Australian newspaper under the headline ‘Bogan is not a dirty word’, Terry Barnes wrote about the people who live in his south-east Melbourne suburb of Patterson Lakes: ‘Patto’s’ culture is dominated by so-called cashed-up bogans (CUBs), people mostly educated in the University of Life,…
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Oxford Word of the Month – August: Tip turkey
tip turkey – noun: the white ibis, Threskiornis moluccus, often regarded as a pest in urban areas because of its scavenging at tips, etc. The Australian white ibis, Threskiornis moluccus, is widespread across Australia, and naturally inhabits wetlands where it feeds on small invertebrates, especially crustaceans. As part of the ibis family the white ibis…