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relo

(AAVE, Australian, colloquial, informal) A relationship.

ˈɹeləʉDocumented since 1980s1980sGen Xhistorical266 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🎤 Black culture & AAVE
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Born ~1980 · no dated citations yet
1980BornToday, 2026

Seen in the wild

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Australia
#1·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(AAVE, Australian, colloquial, informal) A relationship.

2006, Tony Davis, Step On It!: A Wild Ride Through the Motor Age, Random House Australia, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=jH57w0aIa2gC&pg=PA17&dq=%22relo%22|%22relos%22+australia+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=z8EGUN…
Heard in the wild
  • “Laŭ [Francisko Azorín](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisko_Azor%C3%ADn "Francisko Azorín") **relo** estas _Tipa, profilita ferstango terkuŝanta po du, por faciligi la ruladon de vagonoj, tramoj, k. c._[\[1\]](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relo#cite_note-1) Li indikas [etimologion](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etimologio "Etimologio") el la latina _regula_ (regulilo).”

  • “2. [1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Page-Relo#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Page-Relo#cite_ref-:0_2-1)["Bienvenue à nos recrues pour la saison 2025/2026!"](https://www.ubbrugby.com/actualites/9770-bienvenue-a-nos-recrues-pour-la-saison-2025-2026.html). _www.ubbrugby.com_ (in French).”

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Australia
#2·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(Australian, colloquial, informal) A relative.

For parents

"relo" means a relative. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.

For ESL learners

"relo" is informal English meaning a relative. It is used widely across English varieties. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a relative" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "relo" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.

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