Australian Slang For Ambulance (Revealed!)

The most common Australian slang term for ambulance is “ambo”. This one is widely used across the country by people of all ages and generations. This term can be used both for ambulances and for the paramedics that travel in them. An older term which is still sometimes used in Australia is “zambuck”.

Ambulances may not be something we use ourselves very often, but living in an even somewhat densely populated area you will probably see ambulances regularly.

Slang terms to describe them, then, tend not to be all that numerous, but they are nonetheless very commonly used.

Such is the case with the Australian term “ambo”.

Let’s find out more.

In This Article

What do Australians call ambulances?

The most commonly used slang term for an ambulance in Australia is an “ambo”.

This is used throughout Australia by the majority of the population, both young and old.

It’s by no means a new term, so the older generations certainly use it.

At the same time, it hasn’t fallen out of use, so it’s been enthusiastically picked up by the younger generations too.

Australians love to form slang terms in this way, by simply shortening the word and adding an –O ending, and this is a great example of this.

Example in a sentence: “You’re hurt, I’m calling for an ambo.”

It’s also worth pointing out that an “ambo” can be both an ambulance and a slang term for a paramedic.

Naturally, paramedics are always in ambulances, so you can see why the term is equally applicable.

“The ambo said he would be okay,” for example.

It’s effectively interchangeable in this way, as you can refer to the situation as a whole of the ambulance being there.

So, ambo is the most common one that you’ll hear, and certainly the most uniquely Australian slang term for ambulance.

There are a few other slang terms that you may hear from time to time, though. “Zambuck,” as I mentioned, was an older slang term in Australia for an ambulance.

Though it’s mostly fallen out of use now, it’s far from completely extinct and you will still hear this one from time to time.

“The zambuck is coming, hang on,” for example.

Beyond these terms, there are some others that originated outside of Australia but which have nonetheless taken hold in the country.

“Meat wagon” is a common slang term for an ambulance, as well as “amber lamps” which is sometimes used.

Let’s find out where these terms come from.

Why do Australians say “ambo”?

The origin of ambo in terms of how the word came to be constructed is, as you might expect, quite simple.

As I mentioned, it’s a very common convention of Australian slang to simply shorten a word down to one syllable and add an –O sound onto the end.

“Arvo” is perhaps the best known example of this, being the slang term for “afternoon” in Australian English.

So, “ambo” is achieved simply by taking the word ambulance and applying this method to it.

In terms of when it was first used, this is difficult to say and we have very few written records to point us towards its origin.

“Arvo” was first recorded in the 1920s, so it may well be that ambo goes back at least as far as this.

Unfortunately, we don’t know for sure. It’s likely a more modern invention than this, but ambulances are an older service than you might expect.

The first ambulance service in Australia was introduced to New South Wales in 1895, so ambo as a slang term may even go back as far as this.

Unfortunately, we just can’t say for sure—all we know is that it is use now!

Why do Australians say “zambuck”?

Zambuck, as I mentioned, is an older slang term for ambulance.

It’s lesser known now and you may well be met with some confusion if you use this one.

Nevertheless, many of the older generation remember and continue to use this term nonetheless, so it’s worth being aware of. Its origin is something we can trace with a lot more precision.

It’s usually spelled zambuck, but it was originally Zam-Buk, and was a patent medicine originally produced in the north of England.

It was used both as a herbal balm for consumer use, and also as an antiseptic ointment by ambulance drivers in Australia.

So, ambos would often be stocked up with Zambuck—this was in the middle of the 20^th Century, though the company was founded in the beginning of the century.

What else do Australians call ambulances?

Finally, there are a couple of other terms you might hear used for an ambulance in Australia.

These are mostly used widely in the English speaking world and aren’t exclusive to Australia.

“Meat wagon” is probably the most common, simply referring to the way it carries human bodies—“meat”—to and from hospitals.

“Amber lamps”, a humorous phonetic misspelling of ambulances used in England and the U.S., is also commonly used in Australia.

While there are indeed other terms for ambulance that you’ll hear used in Australia, the most common by far is “ambo”.

This is more or less universally used and understood, and one you won’t really hear outside of Australia.

At the same time, you have older terms like “zambuck” which have mostly fallen out of use but still fervently cling on in some places among some people.

Other than that, you’ve got more broadly used terms like “meat wagon” or “amber lamps”.

More in Australian Slang

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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