General
tinny
What does tinny mean?
A can of beer; separately, a small aluminium dinghy.
"Crack open a tinny and take the tinny out on the water."
Origin
From 'tin' (the can / the aluminium hull) plus '-y'.
Frequently asked questions
What does tinny mean in Australia?
Tinny has two meanings: a can of beer, and a small aluminium boat or dinghy. Context tells you which is meant.
Where does the word tinny come from?
Both senses come from 'tin' — the metal beer can and the aluminium boat hull — plus the '-y' ending.
How do you tell which tinny someone means?
Context does the work: you 'crack open' or 'sink' a tinny of beer, but you 'take out' or 'launch' a tinny on the water.
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