In Australia, “wog” is a slang term that has historically been used as an ethnic slur, mainly for people of Southern European or Mediterranean background (for example Italians, Greeks, some Middle Eastern communities).

What “wog” stands for in Australia

  • It does not literally “stand for” a formal phrase (like an acronym); it’s a slang label that developed over time.
  • In Australian English, it has usually referred to people from Mediterranean or Middle Eastern backgrounds, especially post–World War II immigrants and their descendants.
  • Some Australian communities have partly “reclaimed” the word and use it jokingly or with pride among themselves, but it can still be offensive or hurtful depending on who says it and how.

Other Australian uses of “wog”

  • It’s also used in everyday Aussie slang to mean a mild illness, like a cold or flu, as in “I’ve got the wog” or “a flu wog went around the office.”

A quick note on sensitivity

Because of its racist history, “wog” is generally considered taboo or offensive in formal or mixed company, especially if you are not part of the group it has targeted. Some people may use it casually among friends from similar backgrounds, but that doesn’t make it safe to use broadly.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.