What does arvo mean in Australian slang?
Arvo is Australian slang for afternoon. Australians often say see you this arvo or what are you doing Sunday arvo? It is one of the country's most widely used everyday slang words.
Arvo is a typical example of how Australian English shortens words and adds an o or ie ending. Other examples include servo for service station, bottle-o for liquor shop and smoko for a work break.
The word has been recorded since at least the early twentieth century, and it is still used by people of all ages, in casual conversation, text messages and even some advertising.
Using arvo
Arvo can stand alone, as in see you in the arvo, or combine with other words, as in arvo tea, meaning afternoon tea, or Saturday arvo footy. It is mostly used in informal speech, rather than in formal writing.
New Zealanders also use arvo, but it is strongly associated with Australia. Visitors often learn it early because it appears so frequently in everyday talk.
Australian English is full of shortened words, called diminutives or hypocorisms. Linguists say they help create a friendly, relaxed tone, and Australians use them more than speakers of most other varieties of English.
Did You Know?
The plural form, arvos, is sometimes used, as in working arvos.