ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hicks

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈhɪks// UK //hˈɪks// hicks

n. people from the countryside who are seen as uneducated or not used to modern city life. You use this word when you want to be a bit rude about someone's simple background.

n. a derogatory term for people from rural areas perceived as unsophisticated, uneducated, or provincial. Usually plural in this sense; carries a strong negative social bias.


SIMPLE

He was tired of being treated like one of the local hicks.

CONTEXTUAL

The city teenagers laughed at the visitors, calling them hicks because of their thick accents and plain clothes.

COMPLEX

The film relies on tired stereotypes, portraying the residents of the small mountain town as narrow-minded hicks who are suspicious of any outsider.

Synonyms
Usage

Almost always used in the plural form to refer to a group; carries a derogatory or condescending register.

© 2026 English Reference