billabong

Where does the word "billabong" come from? It comes from Wiradjuri bilabang, and was adopted directly into English (1830s).

Billabong’s story begins in Wiradjuri: bilabang meant “a dead-end waterway.” A stagnant pool left behind after a river changes course. It reached English by 1830s as billabong. 'Waltzing Matilda', written by Banjo Paterson in 1895, begins beside a billabong. Today, billabong means an isolated pool of water left behind when a river changes course.

1. Stage 1 · Wiradjuri · 1800s bilabang "a dead-end waterway", a stagnant pool left behind after a river changes course.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1830s billabong "a stagnant pool of water left by a changing river", 'Waltzing Matilda', written by Banjo Paterson in 1895, begins beside a billabong.