Wirrigal
/ˈwɪrɪɡəl/noun
An Australian English variant of warrigal, traditionally referring to a dingo or other wild dog.
Did you know?Wirrigal is one of several colonial spellings—including warrigal, werrigal, and wurrigal—derived from an Aboriginal Australian term associated with dingoes and wildness.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-colonial Australia
Dharuk/Aboriginal Australian
wer(e)gal
“A term associated with a wild dog or dingo; the precise source language and original form are debated.”
Late 18th Century
Australian English
warrigal
“A dingo or wild dog, adopted by early colonial settlers from an Aboriginal language of the Sydney region.”
19th Century
Australian English
werrigal
“An alternative spelling used for a dingo or wild dog.”
19th–20th Century
Australian English
wurrigal
“Another recorded spelling variant of warrigal, retaining the sense of a wild dog or dingo.”
Modern English
Australian English
wirrigal
“A variant spelling referring chiefly to a dingo or, more broadly, something wild and untamed.”