Where “Toot” Comes From
“Toot” is an Australian slang word for a toilet. Green’s Dictionary of Slang tags this sense Australian but does not say where the word comes from.
All of Green’s dated examples are lists of slang words. John O’Grady’s Aussie English (1965) lists “toot” as a synonym for a toilet. A 1972 Aussie Swearers Guide lists it with “loo” and “diddy”, and O’Grady lists “toots” again in 1977 among euphemisms for “dunnies”.
Source:
“Mind the step, the toot is out the back.”
How Aussies Actually Use It
Green’s records “toot” only in slang guides from the 1960s and 70s, listed next to “dunny”. It records no modern examples.
Say It Like an Aussie
Say it: TOOT, like a horn.
In conversation:
- Nan’s old house had the toot at the end of the garden.
- “Toot” is one of the old words for a toilet, like dunny.
- Do you know what a toot is?
Good to know: Today you’re far more likely to hear “dunny” or “loo”. “Toot” mostly turns up in lists of old Aussie words, so it’s a good one for trivia nights.
See also: Dunny
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