Slangora

featherfoot

In Aboriginal Australian belief systems, a featherfoot is a type of sorcerer or executioner — an initiated man who is said to walk silently and leave no tracks, capable of inflicting illness or death on those he is sent to punish.

ˈfɛðɚˌwɛtf234 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇦🇺 Australian & NZ slang
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Australia
#1·Apr 28, 2026AUS

In Aboriginal Australian belief systems, a featherfoot is a type of sorcerer or executioner — an initiated man who is said to walk silently and leave no tracks, capable of inflicting illness or death on those he is sent to punish. The term is used in the context of traditional law and spiritual authority in various Aboriginal communities. It carries significant cultural weight and should be treated with respect. The concept is documented in anthropological and ethnographic literature, though representations vary by community and region.

The old stories warned that a featherfoot could appear without warning and that no one could hear him coming.
Origin: A descriptive English compound coined by European observers or translators to describe an Aboriginal spiritual/legal figure; the underlying concept has names in various Aboriginal languages. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
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Australia
#2·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(AU) An Aboriginal sorcerer.

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Aussie and Kiwi vocabulary — bogan, daggy, brekkie, sheila, bach, jandals — the whole Antipodean lexicon, including outback dialect, surf and beach culture, and Sydney/Melbourne street slang.

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