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arvo: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Uncommon (except in specific dialects).
UK/ˈɑːvəʊ/US/ˈɑːrvoʊ/

Very informal, slang, colloquial.

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Quick answer

What does “arvo” mean?

Afternoon (shortened, informal).

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

Afternoon (shortened, informal).

The period of time from midday to evening; used to specify a point in time (e.g., 'this arvo').

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Virtually unknown in both mainstream British and American English. It is a regionalism from Australia/New Zealand.

Connotations

In its native context, it connotes casualness, familiarity, and Australian cultural identity. Elsewhere, it would likely be misunderstood or recognised as Australian slang.

Frequency

Effectively zero frequency in both British and American corpora. Its use outside Australasia is marked as a deliberate adoption of Australian speech.

Grammar

How to Use “arvo” in a Sentence

[Determiner] + arvoSee you + [Determiner] + arvo

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
thistomorrowyesterday
medium
thein thelazy
weak
hotentirequiet

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Not used; highly inappropriate.

Academic

Not used.

Everyday

Exclusively in casual, spoken Australian/New Zealand contexts among friends/family.

Technical

Not used.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “arvo”

Strong

PMpost-meridian

Neutral

afternoon

Weak

laterlater on

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “arvo”

morningarvo (no direct antonym)

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “arvo”

  • Using it in formal writing.
  • Using it outside Australasian contexts and expecting comprehension.
  • Treating it as a countable noun (e.g., 'two arvos').

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is a colloquial slang term specific to Australian and New Zealand English.

No, it is highly informal and context-specific. Use 'afternoon' instead.

It is pronounced /ˈɑːvəʊ/ (UK) or /ˈɑːrvoʊ/ (US), with stress on the first syllable.

It is a classic example of Australian English clipping, where 'afternoon' is shortened to 'arvo', similar to 'brekkie' for breakfast.

Afternoon (shortened, informal).

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “See you in the arvo.”
  • “Arvo tea (Australasian: afternoon tea).”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of 'ARVO' as 'AFteRNOon' with the middle letters removed: AfteRNOon -> AR...NO -> ARVO.

Conceptual Metaphor

TIME IS A CONTAINER (e.g., 'in the arvo').

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
In Australia, you might hear 'See you arvo' meaning 'See you this afternoon.'
Multiple Choice

In which variety of English is 'arvo' a common slang term?

arvo: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples | Lingvocore