Word Of The Day: Dinkum

by admin - 2010-11-21 ( education / language / english ) [html version]

(DING-kuhm)Dinkum, also dinky-di, fair dinkum, adjectiveTrue; honest; genuine.

Etymology: Probably derived, like many other Australian words, from English dialect. The counties of Lincolnshire and Derbyshire had a word or dincum meaning "work; a fair share of work." The word was first recorded in Australia in Rolf Bnewrewood's Robbery Under Arms (1888): "It took us an hour's hard dinkum to get near the peak." (© Wordsmith Words)