dinkum

American  

[ding-kuhm] / ˈdɪŋ kəm /

Also fair dinkum

adjective

Australian.

1. genuine; authentic.

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dinkum British  

/ ˈdɪŋkəm /

adjective

1. genuine or right

   a dinkum bloke

2. 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?

3. archaic the truth

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Etymology

Origin of dinkum

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”

Example Sentences

Elsewhere, a noble is a fair dinkum, while the death of an important character is announced by "he's cactus".

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2025

Stephen Roche, who filmed the video, described the incident as a "fair dinkum stampede" and can be heard warning the animals to "not stand on my golf ball".

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2024

“Scare dinkum – Aussies caught by the ghoulies at ‘haunted’ hotel,” squealed a predictably-restrained back-page headline in the Sun after the 2005 incident.

From The Guardian • Jul. 21, 2014

Fair dinkum to you chaps, it's the only chance you've had to use that combination of words all winter.

From The Guardian • Jan. 9, 2011

I've come 'ome from a dinkum scrap to find this land uv light Is chasin' its own tail around an' callin' it a fight.

From Digger Smith by Gye, Hal