Meaning
In Australian English, tradie is an informal noun for a tradesperson, such as an electrician, carpenter, plumber, builder, or other skilled manual worker.
How it is used
Tradie is a broad occupational label for someone working in a skilled trade. It can refer to men or women and is often used in ordinary conversation, advertising, and workplace discussion.
Examples
- “The tradie is coming by at nine to fix the tap.”
- “She's a qualified tradie working in construction.”
- “We need a local tradie to look at the wiring.”
Pronunciation
/ˈtreɪdi/ · TRAY-dee
Tone and register
Informal and generally neutral, with familiarity coming from the shortened form rather than from disrespect toward the occupation.
Visitor guidance
Visitors can interpret tradie as tradesperson. Avoid assuming a specific trade unless the surrounding context identifies one.
Cultural context
The Australian National Dictionary Centre highlights tradie among the many Australian occupational shortenings formed with -ie/-y, and Collins labels it Australian informal for tradesman or tradeswoman.
Origin
Tradie is a transparent shortening of tradesperson/tradesman shaped by the productive Australian -ie/-y abbreviation pattern.
Places represented
Open the reviewed place guide for each regional sense carried by this canonical entry.
Comparisons featuring this term
Open reviewed place comparisons that explicitly use this canonical term in their editorial comparison set.