Words & TermsPeople and character
dinkum
Also: fair dinkum?, dinki-di
Genuine, honest or true.
In a sentence
Is that a dinkum offer, or are you winding me up?
Where it came from
Dinkum is shortened from fair dinkum, a British dialect expression for fair dealing. The adjective meaning genuine or true is recorded in Australia from the 1890s.
- First recorded
- 1890s
- Initial era
- 1850–1899
- Where used
- Australia-wide