pommy

pommy

English

Alternative forms

• pommie

Etymology

From pom +‎ -y (“diminutive suffix”). Australian from 1912.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɒmi/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒmi

Noun

pommy (plural pommies)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, derogatory) A pom; a person of British descent, a Briton; an Englishman.
   • 1931, Miles Franklin, Back to Bool Bool, page 140,

     Though Sir Oswald had taken on enough London veneer to be sneered at as a pommy in certain Australian circles, he had never acquired the high-class Englishman′s apparent equanimity or indifference before the prospect of cuckolding.

   • 2007, Tony Parsons, Silver in the Sun, unnumbered page,

     Rhona nodded her agreement. ‘That′s a very interesting answer from a new Aussie – and a Pommy into the bargain,’ she added.

   • 2009, Robert Holman, On Paths of Ash: The Extraordinary Story of an Australian Prisoner of War, unnumbered page,

     During one of these acts of bravery by the English pilots I saw a great big tough Aussie with tears of frustration streaming down his face. He was shouting, ‘You magnificent, stupid Pommy bastard!’

Synonyms

• limey (US)

Related terms

• pom

Adjective

pommy (not comparable)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, sometimes derogatory) English; British.
   • 1991, A Stranger's Trust, Emma Richmond:

     A gleam of humour, a moment of beautiful pommy arrogance.

   • 2003, Susan Bradley Smith, 12: Rhetoric, reconciliation and other national pastimes: showcasing contemporary Australian theatre in London, Elizabeth Schafer, Susan Bradley Smith (editors), Playing Australia: Australian Theatre and the International Stage, page 201,

     That is, of course, until Australian movie stars like Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman proved that they could sell tickets in the West End so long as they could play at being what Rees calls a ‘movie siren’ with a convincing ‘fake pommy accent’.

   • 2005 February 24, feral, “Hello, Hello”, in aus.cars, Usenet‎:

     athol wrote: […] > IIRC, "hood lining" is the more pommy terminology.  :-)

Synonyms

• limey (US)

Further reading

• Poms overview