What does barbie mean?
"Barbie" is an informal noun, used chiefly in Australian and British English, that means a barbecue — either the grill on which food is cooked outdoors or, more broadly, the relaxed social gathering built around it. The word is simply a playful shortening of "barbecue," formed much like other familiar clipped nicknames, and it carries strong connotations of sunshine, backyards, and easygoing hospitality. To "throw a barbie" is to invite friends or family around for grilled food and conversation, and the phrase "shrimp on the barbie," popularized by a 1980s Australian tourism advertisement, spread the word internationally even though locals typically say "prawns." Because of its casual register, "barbie" suits conversation and light writing rather than formal prose, where "barbecue" remains the standard choice. Its cheerful, unmistakably Australian flavor makes it a small but vivid marker of national identity.
nounAn informal term for a barbecue, meaning both the outdoor grill itself and the social event of cooking and eating food outdoors. It is especially associated with Australian English.
- A barbecue grill or the act of barbecuing food outdoors (informal, chiefly Australian).
- A social gathering centered on outdoor grilled food (informal, chiefly Australian).
"We're having a few friends over for a barbie this Sunday afternoon."
"Fire up the barbie — the steaks won't cook themselves."
"The whole street turned out for the neighbourhood barbie on Australia Day."
Standard pluralization applies; the plural typically refers to multiple barbecue gatherings rather than multiple grills.
"The club hosted two barbies over the summer."
"Shrimp on the barbie" — a line from a 1980s Australian tourism campaign — made this slangy little word famous around the world, even though Australians more often say "prawns."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of barbie
"Barbie" arose in Australian English as a colloquial shortening of "barbecue," following the common Australian habit of abbreviating words and adding an "-ie" or "-o" ending (as in "arvo" for afternoon). The parent word "barbecue" entered English from Spanish "barbacoa," which was borrowed from Taíno, the Arawakan language of the Caribbean, where it described a wooden framework for smoking or drying meat over fire. The same Taíno source is connected to "boucan," the smoke-curing technique whose practitioners gave us "buccaneer." Thus this most Australian of words ultimately traces back to the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean.
How barbie is actually used
Register is distinctly informal and casual; the word carries warm, laid-back connotations of Australian social life. In formal writing, "barbecue" is preferred. Outside Australia and Britain, the term may read as an affectionate Australianism rather than neutral vocabulary.
Easily confused with barbie
"Barbecue" is the standard full form of the word, while "barbie" is its informal, chiefly Australian diminutive.
"Barbie" capitalized refers to the Mattel fashion doll launched in 1959, whereas "barbie" lowercase is Australian slang for a barbecue — the two share only a sound.