Australians call swimsuits togs, bathers, swimmers, or cozzies, with usage varying by region, though "togs" is common in Queensland and "bathers" popular in the south/west, while "cozzies" (costumes) and "swimmers" are also widely understood, plus cheeky terms like "budgie smugglers" for tight men's suits.
Togs, Cossies, Trunks, or Bathers? Exploring Swimwear Slang Across the Globe.
Australians use a variety of terms to describe their bathing attire, including 'cossies' (a shortened version of 'costumes') and 'togs', which Gwynn explains is an abbreviation of the 16th-Century word 'togeman', meaning coat.
Togs, cossies, bathers, swimmers, trunks, costumes, one piece, full piece, bikini, two piece, rashie, rash vest, rash guard, wet shirt, bottoms, pants, tankini, swim top, boardies, swim shorts - take a deep breath! With so much variation, let's see if we can guess where you're from by what you call your swimwear.
Mainly swimmers or togs... but do use cozzies sometimes. Togs as a young person in Qld, now probably swimmers or swimsuits. never cozzies.
Sexual intercourse. Root. Sexual intercourse, similar to the British word 'Shag'. Can also be used as a verb.
Woop Woop is used to refer to a place in the middle of nowhere. People use it to signify that a location is far away, unfamiliar to them, and difficult to get to.
Australians use several terms for swimsuits, most commonly togs, cossies, or swimmers, with regional differences: togs (or togs/swimming togs) are popular in Queensland and New Zealand, bathers (from bathing costumes) are used in Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia, while swimmers (NSW) and cossies (short for swimming costume, common in NSW/VIC) are also widely understood.
Swimsuits can be described by various names, some of which are used only in particular locations or for particular types of suit, including swimwear, bathing suit, bathing attire, swimming costume, bathing costume, swimming suit, swimmers, swimming togs, bathers, cossie (short for "costume"), or swimming trunks ( ...
In Australian slang, "togs" (or "swimming togs") is a common term for swimwear, especially prevalent in Queensland, while other regions use "cossies" (swimming costumes) or "bathers", but "togs" can also mean general clothes, like "running togs," with regional variations in usage.
Australians call flip-flops "thongs" because the footwear has a strap, or "thong," that goes between the big toe and the second toe, a term derived from Old English for a strip of leather. This naming reflects the shoe's structure, similar to how thong underwear has a string that passes between the buttocks, though the footwear term is much older than the undergarment's popular usage in the 1990s.
Togs is the Kiwi word for swimmers or swimsuit. When heading to the beach in summer, togs and jandals (flip flops) are essential items.
For example, people in Great Britain use the term "swimming costume" instead. Bathing suits are often made with soft, comfortable fabrics, and do not always have a skin-tight fit.
Australians call Speedos "budgie smugglers," a humorous slang term for tight men's swimwear, referencing how the front bulge resembles a small bird (a budgerigar or "budgie") being smuggled inside. Other terms for swimwear in Australia include "cossies," "togs," "bathers," or "swimmers," but "budgie smugglers" is the classic slang for Speedo-style briefs.
Olympic swimmers stopped wearing traditional Speedo briefs for performance reasons, switching to high-tech, full-body "super suits" in the late 2000s to reduce drag, but these were banned by 2010, leading to today's textile "jammers" (mid-thigh suits) that offer less drag than briefs, provide compression, and adhere to World Aquatics' rules for a fairer competition.
Americans use both terms, since they are synonyms for the same article of attire. You will be in good company if you use either one. When I was growing up in the 1960s the more commonly heard term was “bathing suit.” In the past couple of decades “swimsuit” has seen wider use.
The male swimwear - often simply referred to as Speedos or budgie-smugglers - is essentially a waterproof pair of briefs which are very fitted.
The word togs comes from the Latin 'toga', which in turn derives from 'tegere' meaning to cover and in British slang was applied to a set of clothes, garments intended for a specific use such as 'riding togs' or one would 'tog up' for dinner or tennis.
The Aussie word for swimwear. Whether you're talking about trunks or a bikini, 'togs' is the go-to term in beach lingo in most areas. For the ladies, 'cozzie' is just as popular as a swimwear term.
Here are 5 common Aussie slang words/phrases: G'day (hello), Mate (friend), Arvo (afternoon), No worries (no problem/you're welcome), and Barbie (barbecue), with many Aussies shortening words (like Brekkie for breakfast, Servo for gas station) and using colourful terms for everyday things.
A British person, especially one from England. (Originally applied to an immigrant from the British Isles.) The word pom has its origin in wordplay. An early, derisory term for an immigrant in Australia was the rhyming slang jimmygrant (sometimes written as Jimmy Grant), recorded in 1844.
"Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy, Oi Oi Oi" (often written as "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi") is a patriotic Australian sports chant, a rallying cry of national pride, originating from older British cheers like "Oggy Oggy Oggy," with "Aussie" being slang for Australian, and "Oi" functioning as an emphatic interjection, similar to "Hey!" or "Go!". It's used at sporting events, sometimes considered a bit cheesy or "cringey" by some Australians, but generally seen as an inclusive way to support national teams.
"Hoo-ha" (or hoo-hah) slang means a fuss, commotion, or uproar, often about something unimportant, but it can also euphemistically refer to genitalia, especially in more vulgar slang contexts. It can also be an exclamation of surprise or excitement, or even describe a laugh or chortle.
The birds have also come to be regarded as a problem species in Victoria as a result of their scavenging activities, scattering rubbish from tips and bins in the process, and earning the widespread nickname "bin chicken". They are even known to snatch sandwiches from picnickers.