Wonga

Wonga (noun / UK slang)

(Also spelt: Wanger, Wonger)

Definition: Cash, money, or dough. Usually implies having a decent wedge of it in your pocket or earning a tidy sum.

Pronunciation: /ˈwɒŋ.ɡə/

Where It Comes From: Rooted straight in Romani heritage.

The Anglo-Romani word wanga or vongar literally means coal. British street markets and Romani travellers in the 18th and 19th centuries began using “coal” as code for money, which eventually morphed into wonga.

It stayed a staple of Cockney rhyming slang and working-class London street chat throughout the 20th century before exploding nationwide in the 2000s and 2010s—partly thanks to payday loan ads plastering the word on daytime TV.

How People Actually Use It: Slapped into everyday banter whenever paydays, prices, or someone’s spending habits come up.

If someone lands a promotion or works overtime over the weekend, you’ll hear “rolling in wonga.” If an MOT or car repair turns out brutally expensive, you sigh about coughing up “a serious amount of wonga.” It’s casual, slightly cheeky, and works whether you’re talking about loose notes in your wallet or a fat paycheck.

Examples in the Wild:

• “He took on three night shifts this week just to pull in some extra wonga before holiday.”

  Translation: “He worked additional night shifts to earn more money before travelling.”

• “Fifty quid for two drinks and a burger? That is an absolute joke of a price for that much wonga.”

  Translation: “That meal was far too expensive for what was provided.”

• “She landed a new corporate role in the city and she’s earning proper wonga now.”

  Translation: “She secured a well-paid job and makes a substantial salary.”

Similar Slang: Dosh, Wedge, Quid, Dough, Bread, Clams, Skrilla, Paper