ENGLISH
REFERENCE

redneck

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈɹɛdˌnɛk// UK //ɹˈɛdnɛk// red·neck Archaic Slang Vulgar

n. a person from a rural area who is often seen as uneducated or having narrow-minded views. It is a casual and often rude way to describe someone from the countryside, especially in the southern United States.

n. a derogatory term for a white person from a rural, working-class background, particularly in the Southern United States. Often implies a lack of education or the possession of reactionary social and political views.


SIMPLE

He joked about being a redneck because he loves his old truck.

CONTEXTUAL

The comedian built his entire career on stories about growing up as a proud redneck in a small mountain town.

Synonyms
Origin

Bahuvrīhi compound of red + neck. Compare rooinek. The term originally characterized farmers that had a red neck, caused by sunburn from long hours working in the fields.

Usage

Often used as a pejorative by outsiders, though some individuals in rural communities have reclaimed the term as a self-descriptor of working-class identity.

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