stompie: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (internationally); Regional (High in South Africa)Informal, Colloquial
Quick answer
What does “stompie” mean?
A cigarette butt.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A cigarette butt; the discarded end of a smoked cigarette.
Primarily used in South African English. In some contexts, particularly in South Africa, can also refer to a very short remaining stub of a cigarette, or be used as a derogatory term for a cheap, small cigarette.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is not part of standard British or American English lexicon. It is a borrowing from Afrikaans into South African English. In BrE/AmE, 'cigarette butt', 'fag end' (BrE, informal), or 'butt' are used.
Connotations
In its native context (SA), it is a neutral, common colloquialism. In BrE/AmE, if encountered, it would be perceived as a foreign term.
Frequency
Extremely rare to non-existent in BrE/AmE corpora. High frequency in South African English.
Grammar
How to Use “stompie” in a Sentence
N (subject) + V (discard/litter) + stompieV (find/see) + a + ADJ (discarded) + stompieVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stompie” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable as a verb in standard English]
American English
- [Not applicable as a verb in standard English]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable as an adverb in standard English]
American English
- [Not applicable as an adverb in standard English]
adjective
British English
- [Not applicable as an adjective in standard English]
American English
- [Not applicable as an adjective in standard English]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Not used, except in sociolinguistic or anthropological studies of South Africa.
Everyday
Common in everyday South African speech. Unintelligible in everyday BrE/AmE contexts.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “stompie”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “stompie”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stompie”
- Using it in international English contexts where it is unknown.
- Spelling as 'stumpy', which means short and thick.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a loanword from Afrikaans and is specific to South African English. It is not part of standard British or American English.
No, it should be avoided. Use 'cigarette butt' or 'cigarette end' for clear international communication.
It comes from Afrikaans, derived from 'stomp', meaning 'stub' or 'blunt end', combined with the diminutive '-ie' suffix.
In its primary South African context, it almost exclusively means a cigarette butt. Using it to mean something else would be highly atypical.
A cigarette butt.
Stompie is usually informal, colloquial in register.
Stompie: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstɒmpi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstɑːmpi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms in international English]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine someone STOMPing on a cigarette butt to put it out. The action (stomp) + the 'ie' ending gives you 'stompie' – the thing you stomp on.
Conceptual Metaphor
WASTE IS FILTH (the discarded stompie is seen as litter and a nuisance).
Practice
Quiz
Where is the term 'stompie' primarily used and understood?