# Hicks

/ˈhɪks/ (US) · /hˈɪks/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hicks
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. unsophisticated rural people

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

people from the countryside who are thought to be uneducated, simple, or lacking social skills.

For teachers: a derogatory plural noun referring to people from rural areas perceived as provincial, uneducated, or socially unsophisticated.

- The city teenagers acted like snobs and called the local farmers hicks.
- The film was criticised for its lazy reliance on stereotypes, portraying the local residents as a bunch of uneducated hicks.

Usage: Usually used as a plural noun to insult a group of people.

Teaching tip: This term is often offensive. It reflects a prejudice against rural people and should be used with caution or avoided in polite conversation.

## Examples

- He was tired of being treated like one of the local hicks.
- The city teenagers laughed at the visitors, calling them hicks because of their thick accents and plain clothes.
- The film relies on tired stereotypes, portraying the residents of the small mountain town as narrow-minded hicks who are suspicious of any outsider.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.