"Don't be such a skite about your new car, mate."
Where "Skite" Comes From
"Skite" traces back to Scottish and Scandinavian dialect, most likely a shortened form of "blatherskite" — an old word for someone who talks nonsense or shoots their mouth off, itself built from Old Norse roots meaning "stupid talk" and "to shoot."
Scottish and Irish settlers carried the word into Australian English during the colonial era, where it settled into its modern sense of empty boasting or showing off — a habit Australians have never been especially fond of.
How Aussies Actually Use It
Calling someone a "skite" is a mild telling-off for bragging too much, whether about money, achievements, or possessions.
It works as both a verb ("stop skiting") and a noun ("what a skite"), and it's almost always said disapprovingly, even if lightly so.
🎓 Want to sound like a true Aussie?
Watch Down Under English on YouTube for real Australian pronunciation, slang lessons, and culture — taught by an Australian educator.
Watch on YouTube →