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toolie

(colloquial, oil industry) A tool dresser.

ˈtuliDocumented since 2010s2010sSilenthistorical324 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇦🇺 Australian & NZ slang
3 definitions
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Etymology timeline

Born ~2013 · no dated citations yet
2013BornToday, 2026

Definitions

Australia
#1·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(colloquial, oil industry) A tool dresser.

For parents

"toolie" means a tool dresser. 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

"toolie" is informal English meaning a tool dresser. It is used widely across English varieties. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a tool dresser" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "toolie" 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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Australia
#2·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(slang, US, MTE, MLE, and possibly wider) A gun.

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Australia
#3·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(Australia, slang) An adult reveller who deliberately travels to a destination where schoolies congregate, often to solicit sex from them.

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For specific readers

"toolie" means a tool dresser. 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.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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Australia

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🇦🇺About Australian & NZ slang slang

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.

See all Australian & NZ slang slang on Slangora.

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