Cracker definition of cracker by the free dictionary. Cracker pejorative cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a usually pejorative term for a white person, mainly used in the southern united states. The term hillbilly derived from the scottsirish supporters of king william. Compare latin crepare to rattle, crack, creak, with a secondary figurative sense of boast of, prattle, make ado about.
A cultural history of an american icon, the term first appeared in print in a 1900 new york journal article, with the definition. Good ol boy rural people, especially white, powerful people and their networks. Florida crackers feel comfortable shucking oysters, telling stories around a campfire, riding horses, spending time. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of course, that thin, savory snack that cracks when you break it. Despite signifying generally the same cultural meanings, cracker, redneck, hillbilly. If you have some funny hillbilly sayings or hillbilly slang youd like to share with the rest of us then by all. With a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. All the way back to the age of shakespeare, at least.
I should explain to your lordship what is meant by crackers. Information and translations of redneck in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on. Its usage is similar in meaning to cracker especially regarding texas, georgia, and florida, hillbilly especially regarding appalachia and the ozarks, and white trash but without the last term s. These are some of the most common and not so common southern slang terms heard in arkansas and throughout the south.
Hard breadbiscuit sense first attested 1739, though hard wafer sense attested 1440. After youre done, brush up on some southern manners and learn how to pronounce these commonly mispronounced arkansas names. Although rednecks and southerners are not necessarily the same, redneck slang words are often considered southern slang words. Various theories exists regarding this terms application to poor white southerners. Often used as an insult and racial slur against white folks who live in the country. William, prince of orange, was known as king billy, and he deposed the unpopular james stuart from ruling in 1690. Hillbilly vs redneck what are they how are they different. Americas secret slang season 1 americas secret slang proves that we speak history every day as it documents the stories behind our unique. Used as a disparaging term for a member of the white rural laboring class, especially in the southern united states. It is sometimes used in a neutral context in reference to a native of florida, georgia or texas see florida cracker, georgia cracker or texas cracker. Is a white southerner who owns a shotgun, goes barefoot, wears. By the 1970s, the term had become offensive slang, its meaning expanded to include racism, loutishness, and opposition. I know it goes back to before 1600 which would put its or.
It is a language spoken from the heart that anyone can understand. A hillbilly is a person who lives in a remote, rural area in the south, often in the appalachian or sometimes ozark mountains and therefore is isolated and somewhat out of touch with modern culture. Information and translations of redneck in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Its usage is similar in meaning to cracker especially regarding texas, georgia, and florida, hillbilly especially regarding appalachia and the. While the following terms discussed are associated today with the american south and southern culture, their origins are distinctly scottish and ulsterscottish scotsirish, and date to the mass immigration of scottish lowland and ulster presbyterians to america. The term was later used to refer to people from other rural and mountainous areas west of the mississippi river too, particularly those of the rocky mountains and near the rio grande. Hillbillies and rednecks scottish tartans authority. The myriad labels for poor and workingclass white southerners have long been used as pejorative putdowns.
Top synonym for hillbilly another word for hillbilly is redneck. Some will think of bigotry where others will think of history, and both seem to be. Depending on what region of the united states you hail from, the term redneck is either an insult or a badge of honor. Definition of the slang term cracker with an example. When you compare it to the equally complicated definition of redneck, you get a big discussion about the difference. We are constantly updating our database with new slang terms, acronyms, and abbreviations. There are no good crackers, and if you find one, kill him before he changes. All of our slang term and phrase definitions are made possible by our wonderful visitors. Cracker definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Craete your own hillbilly sayings and slang page by visiting our create a page section of the site. If you know of another definition of cracker that should be included here, please let us know. Noun slang, pejorative an uneducated, unsophisticated, or poor caucasian person, typically used to describe residents of any gender country music lyrics new country tunes of the rural southern us. One theory is that it refers to the cracked corn that was a major part of the diet of poor southern whites. True florida crackers have at least one lineal descendant who was also born in the sunshine state.
May 14, 2020 redneck plural rednecks slang, derogatory a poor, rural, usually white and male, person from the southern united states or parts of the midwest and northeast, especially one who is unsophisticated and backward. Redneck is a derogatory term chiefly but not exclusively applied to white americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural. A thin crisp wafer or biscuit, usually made of unsweetened dough. At the same time, in a derivation that huber calls ambiguous, coal operators occasionally used redneck when meaning to invoke the term red to denigrate union members. Contributor names aliff, joe interviewee hufford, mary, 1952 interviewer created published october 27, 1995 subject headings. The origins of hillbilly and redneck americas secret. In the 1970s, being a redneck became fashionable, and the term redneck chic, which seems to have little to do with outwardly disparaging race or class, was born.
Definition of hillbilly the online slang dictionary. These days, the term redneck could mean a lot of things. Hillbilly definition, a term used to refer to a person from a backwoods or other remote area, especially from the mountains of the southern u. A white person regarded as having a provincial, conservative, often bigoted attitude. The term cracker was and is used most frequently in the southern u. Nov 29, 2018 the definition of hillbilly is a more complicated subject than you would think. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of course, that thin. Ramsey then explains that the term used by rich white people to disparage poor. Whether you believe redneck is simply a term of heritage or code for racial intolerance is all about perspective. Synonyms for hillbilly at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Check out these 50 redneck southern slang words and. Some of the lingo prevalent among hillbillies include euphemisms to demonstrate anger.
This page explains what the slang term cracker means. But it turns out cracker s roots go back even further than the 17th century. Cracker comes from the gaelic word craic which means a good conversation and is still in use in ireland today. According to patrick huber, this is what was happening during the carter presidency and afterward. Hillbilly is a term often derogatory for people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas in the united states, primarily in southern appalachia and the ozarks. One theory holds that it originated with disadvantaged corn and wheat farmers. Jul 01, 20 with a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. Cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a racial epithet for white people, used especially for poor rural whites in the southern united states. I hopr yall enjoyed this big oll list of hillbilly sayings and hillbilly slang. Bumpkin, country bumpkin, and hillbilly bumpkin derogatory term for poor rural white people, mainly those who share a rural lifestyle. Redneck definition of redneck by the free dictionary. The amount of misinformation contained in some of these answers is amazing. A term in southeastern united states english to describe poor white trash, derived from the scottish meaning of the verb to crack, which, in this sense denotes ostentation.
Hillbilly definition is a person from a backwoods area. Cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a racial slur used for white people, used especially against poor rural whites in the southern united states. If you would like to suggest a term or an update to an existing one. Mississippi governor haley barbour once proudly declared himself. Another ulsterscot term, a cracker was a person who talked and boasted, and craic crack is a term still used in scotland and ireland to describe talking, chat or conversation in a social sense lets go down to the pub and have a craic. Its usage is similar in meaning to cracker especially regarding texas, georgia, and florida, hillbilly especially regarding appalachia and the ozarks, and white trash but without the last term s suggestions of immorality. Cracker derogatory term for whites, particularly from the american south. Check out these 50 rednecksouthern slang words and colloquial phrases. Another theory is that the term refers to whips that crackers used to drive slaves or cattle. Redneck is a derogatory term chiefly but not exclusively applied to white americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the southern united states. The meaning of the word has changed a lot over the last four. Hillbilly, what is a hillbilly, hillbilly definition origin. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the slangit team. Florida crackers are native born floridians who speak a unique language.
Sense of computer cracker, crack, cracking, were promoted in the 1980s as an alternative to hacker, by programmers concerned about negative public associations of hack. Synonyms for redneck at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. It is sometimes used in a neutral context in reference to a native of florida or georgia see florida cracker and georgia cracker. A term in southeastern united states english to describe poor white trash, derived from the scottish meaning of the verb to crack, which, in this sense. But lets learn about redneck slang, redneck jokes, and redneck comedy. Franchesca ramsey explains the origin of the term cracker. Hillbillies, rednecks, crackers and white trash topscholar. Scottish hillbillies and rednecks, scotland uk history. The label signifies a social class inside the white population and especially a degraded standard of living the term has been adopted for people living on the fringes of the social order, who are seen as dangerous because they may be criminal, unpredictable, and. Corn cracker definition, a contemptuous term used to refer to a member of a class of poor white people in the southern u. Hillbilly definition of hillbilly by merriamwebster. Crackers definition of crackers by the free dictionary. Despite signifying generally the same cultural meanings, cracker, redneck, hillbilly, and white trash, the four. White trash is a slur used in american english to refer to poor white people, especially in the rural southern united states.
Dec 04, 2016 americas secret slang season 1 americas secret slang proves that we speak history every day as it documents the stories behind our unique american version of english, from words like southpaw. A cracker is a thin, crisp biscuit which is often eaten with cheese. It could be used to refer to people, farmers or not. The term, redneck was used to describe farmers who when working in their farms got sunburns at the back of their necks. Jul 01, 20 but it turns out cracker s roots go back even further than the 17th century. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of course, that. Many words commonly used in america today have their origins in our celtic roots. The definition of a redneck is slang and a derogatory term for a poor white person, often who lives in the rural southern united states and who often has conservative or bigoted attitudes. The term redneck comes from the west virginia coal miners march aka battle of blair mountain when coal miners wore red bandanas around their necks to identify themselves as seeking the opportunity to unionize.
The southern slang dictionary will help you avoid confusion if you are planning to visit the south. Dec 03, 2019 its usage is similar in meaning to cracker especially regarding texas, georgia, and florida, hillbilly especially regarding appalachia and the ozarks, and white trash but without the last terms suggestions of immorality. History of the hillbilly the origins of the term hillbilly are obscure. Do white people actually find the term cracker offensive. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates cnn.