General
bottle-o
What does bottle-o mean?
A shop licensed to sell packaged alcohol to take away.
"Duck into the bottle-o and grab a slab."
Origin
Australian abbreviation of 'bottle shop' with the typical -o suffix. The older sense ('bottle collector') predates the liquor-store meaning, which became dominant in modern usage.
Frequently asked questions
What does bottle-o mean in Australia?
A bottle-o is a liquor store or bottle shop where you buy takeaway alcohol.
Why do Aussies say bottle-o?
It's a shortening of 'bottle shop' with the classic Australian -o ending, like 'arvo' for afternoon.
Did bottle-o ever mean something else?
Yes, it once meant a person who collected empty bottles, but the liquor-store meaning is now standard.
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