What Do You Call an Esky

The term “esky” is also commonly used in Australia to generically refer to portable coolers or ice boxes and is part of the Australian vernacular, in place of words like “cooler” or “cooler box” and the New Zealand “chilly bin”. The term derives from the word “Eskimo”.

What do the Brits call an esky?

AE speakers refer to it as an “ice chest” or a “cooler.” I’ve heard it called a “chilly bin” somewhere — possibly in the UK.

Is esky short for Eskimo?

Esky is actually a brand name, short for eskimo. It’s a term for people who live in and around the Arctic that is now considered by many to be offensive, though it is still used in places such as Alaska.