dinkum

[ ding-kuhm ]

adjectiveAustralian.
  1. genuine; authentic.

Origin of dinkum

1
First recorded in 1890–95; origin uncertain, possibly from Lincolnshire dialect dincum, dinkum “work, hard work,” extended to mean “doing one's fair share of work”
  • Also fair din·kum [fair-ding-kuhm] /ˈfɛər ˈdɪŋ kəm/ .

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British Dictionary definitions for dinkum

dinkum

/ (ˈdɪŋkəm) /


adjectiveAustralian and NZ informal
  1. genuine or right: a dinkum bloke

  2. fair dinkum genuine or true: used to emphasize the truth of something or in asking for the truth of something to be confirmed: Back to the states? Fair dinkum?

  1. dinkum oil archaic the truth

Origin of dinkum

1
C19: from English dialect: work, of unknown origin

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