English

Pronunciation

• /dʒɐmbɐk/

Etymology

Sidney J. Baker, The Australian Language, second edition, 1966 notes two possible origins for the word. Firstly A. Meston of Brisbane in 1896 cites Aboriginal words jimba, jombock, dombock and dumbog all meaning white mist preceding a shower, which a flock of sheep resembles. Secondly Charles Harpur in a hand written footnote in his papers cites Aboriginal word junbuc (or jimbuc, his handwriting is unclear) which is a kind of kangaroo or wallaby, and states that the aborigines of the Hunter region call the sheep that for the hairiness of one and the wooliness of the other

Noun

jumbuck (plural jumbucks)

1. A sheep.

"Along came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong, ..." — Waltzing Matilda, Banjo Paterson

Jumbuck is an Australian term for sheep, featured in Banjo Paterson's poem "Waltzing Matilda." Generally denotes a difficult to shear sheep, either large or untamed.

It is also the name of a car and a Melbourne-based mobile chat & auction company.