WHAT A MAN

What does bloke mean? Definition explained

THE word "bloke" is flung around quite a lot these days - but not everyone knows what it means.

The well-circled colloquialism is mostly used in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

What does bloke mean?

According to a Merriam-Webster definition, a "bloke" is a man.

In Australia, a bloke is a term used to describe a typical male and is closely associated with the Australian identity.

So, a "good bloke" can mean a "good man" in Australia.

Synonyms for bloke include man, male, guy, chap, and fella.

The word isn't widely used in the US.

The term is believed to have been first used in the 19th century in London, according to the .

But the word's origins remain unknown.

There are theories it derived from the Romany language called Roma, which is a secret language of Welsh and Irish Travellers, according to .

Lexicographer Eric Partridge suggested it may have originated from the word "loke", which translated to "too low for mention".

The Oxford English Dictionary says the word has "unknown origin".

The term was first listed by the dictionary in 1861.

Meanwhile, others believe it derives from the Celtic word "ploc" which is a large, bull-headed person.

The term got people talking on February 24, 2022, after becoming the answer to Wordle's daily puzzle.

Clues for the #250 quiz pointed people to the fact that the answer was British slang featuring two vowels.

It also stated that the word was a term that was often used to refer to your friend or even a total stranger.

With Brit players previously moaning about US spellings in the word game, Americans have now slated the quiz for being "too British".

One user tweeted: "I did not want to believe #Wordle would do us American's dirty like that.