billabong

English

a billabong on the Goulburn River, Victoria, Australia

Etymology

From Wiradjuri bilabang, likely a compound from Wiradjuri bila (“river”) and Wiradjuri bong or Wiradjuri bung (“dead”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɪləˌbɒŋ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbɪləˌbɔŋ/
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈbɪləˌbɑŋ/

• Audio (Australia):

  (file)

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

billabong (plural billabongs)

2. (Australia) An anabranch, backwater or oxbow lake that is temporarily cut off from the main river, especially one that is only filled with water during the rainy season and can sometimes dry up completely.

   Coordinate terms: arroyo, wadi, nahal, wash, dry wash (similar in intermittent dryness; different in being nonsecondary channels)

   • 1895, “Waltzing Matilda”, Banjo Paterson (lyrics)‎^[1]:

     Oh there once was a swagman camped in the billabong,
     Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
     And he sang as he looked at the old billy boiling,
     'Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda, with me.'

Derived terms

• Little Billabong

Translations

Australian backwater lake

• Anindilyakwa: awurukwa
• Australian Kriol: bilabong
• Gurindji: langkarna (Bilinarra)
• Gagadu: bardaambarda
• Gurindji Kriol: bilibong
• Guragone: gugóndu
• Jingulu: biningkurru n, bunungkurru n, langkana m
• Kamu: ngudetu
• Limilngan: ulungaruk
• Margany: waran
• Madngele: garwa
• Maung: wurl
• Ngarla: yinta
• Nunggubuyu: wurugu
• Wageman: langgarnin
• Wiradjuri: bilabang