Slang – Plonk
What Does “Plonk” Mean?
Meaning — cheap wine. Plonk can refer to any wine that is of poor quality. Plonk is British English slang, also used in Australia and New Zealand.
Where Does “Plonk” Come From?
The word is believed to come from Australian soldiers during World War I, who mispronounced the French phrase vin blanc (white wine). Over time, this became “plinkety-plonk” and eventually just plonk. Read more at World Wide Words.
Don’t mix it up with “plonker”! A plonker is a silly or foolish person, made famous by Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses. The two words sound alike, but they have different meanings and different stories.
Example
“I don’t want to cook tonight. Let’s grab a bottle of plonk and order pizza!”
“This restaurant’s house wine is basically plonk, but it does the job.”
What is slang?
Slang is very informal language. It’s usually spoken rather than written, and is often used by a particular group of people or in a particular place. Slang changes over time, and using it well is a great way to sound more natural when speaking English.
Frequently Asked Questions
“Plonk” means cheap wine — it can refer to any wine that’s of poor quality. It’s British English slang.
It’s believed to come from Australian soldiers in World War I mispronouncing the French “vin blanc” (white wine) — this became “plinkety-plonk” and eventually just “plonk.”
It’s mildly disparaging about the wine’s quality, but it’s usually used in a light-hearted, casual way rather than as a serious insult.
Test Yourself
Discuss:
What’s your go-to word for cheap wine? Tell us on X — @EnglishStudy.
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