bergie

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Afrikaans bergie, from berg (“mountain”). So called because they used to live in the mountains.

Noun

bergie (plural bergies)

  1. (South Africa) A homeless person in Cape Town.
    The man joined a group of bergies sleeping near the police station and pretended to be one of them when confronted by the rangers.
    • 2008, Lauren Beukes, Moxyland, Jacana Media, →ISBN, page 103:
      ‘You check my records, okay? You'll see. Always, every week, some bergie or skollies causing trouble for me. What are my customers supposed to do?’

Anagrams

Afrikaans

Noun

bergie (plural bergies)

  1. (informal) a homeless person in Cape Town
  2. diminutive of berg
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