birthstain
/ˈbəːθsteɪn/noun Australian /NZ
A perceived stigma attached to convict ancestry: a more confident Australian nationalism converted the birthstain into a hallmark...
- The poem is a riposte to his backhanded compliment to Australians, "Your birthstain you have turned to good."
- I wish I had a birthstain!
- He was unpopular in the colony due to a series of gaffes and misunderstandings, most notably over his reference to the birthstain of Australia's convict origins.
Origin
Late 19th century: from birth + stain.