g'day

English

Alternative forms

• gidday

Etymology

Contraction of good day.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡəˈdeɪ/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ɡəˈdæɪ/ IPA^(key): /ˈɡɪdæɪ/

  • Audio (AU)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪ, (General Australian) -æɪ

Interjection

g'day

1. (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ottawa Valley, colloquial) Hi, hello.
   • 1901 December 14, Bushwoman, “Lizer o' th' Overshot”, in Australian Town and Country Journal‎^[1]:

     "G'day, Missus," said he, with a jerk of his head, and he shifted from one leg to the other, and turned his hat over and over uneasily in his great brown hands.
     […]
     "G'day," said 'Lizer, with a bright smile that revealed the prettiest of white teeth. The girl's mouth was as fresh as a rose.
     […]
     "G'day, Missus, hope you're keepin' well, an' the Boss, an' the children. Got back sooner'n I expected; Well, how's my mate shapin?" said he.
     […]
     It ain't no one's fault but mine," he said, generously. "G'day, Missus; I'm goin' ter find my mate, alive-or dead;" and he galloped away.

   • 2012 February 20, Ned Latham, “Odd behaviour UPLOAD”, in aus.computers.linux‎^[2] (Usenet):

     G'day, Muck.
     […]
     Ned

2. (Canada, US, air traffic control, informal) Denotes the end of a radio transmission.
   • Golf Golf Whiskey Golf, cleared the ILS approach runway one two, contact Sault Tower one one eight decimal eight, g'day.

Usage notes

• (good day): Used interchangeably with hello and hi, but more characteristically Australian/New Zealand, and perhaps the most informal of these options. Also used in the constructions G'day, mate (a greeting to a friend or acquaintance) and G'day, stranger (ironically, to a friend not seen in some time).