Word
redneck
Phoneticsred·neck
US/ˈɹɛdˌnɛk/
UK/ɹˈɛdnɛk/
Definitions
01rural white person
n. a rude name for a poor white person from a rural area, especially in the Southern US, who is seen as uneducated.
n. a derogatory epithet for a poor, rural white person, typically from the Southern US, often implying bigotry or lack of sophistication.
“He felt insulted when the city people called him a redneck just because of his accent.”
“The film was criticized for relying on tired stereotypes of the Southern redneck as a violent and uneducated antagonist.”
Slang · American English · Informal
Usage
Usually used as a disparaging term by outsiders, though sometimes reclaimed as a badge of pride by those it describes.
Teaching tip
This term is highly offensive to many and should be used with extreme caution; it is frequently used to mock the working class.
02relating to rural stereotypes
adj. describing things or people that seem like they belong to poor, rural white culture in the US.
adj. characteristic of the perceived culture, attitudes, or lifestyle of rural, working-class white Southerners.
“The bar was full of guys in redneck hats drinking cheap beer.”
“The comedian's routine was built entirely on redneck humor, poking fun at his own upbringing in a small mountain town.”
Slang · American English · Informal
Usage
Often functions as an attributive adjective before a noun.
Teaching tip
In modern pop culture, especially country music, this adjective is sometimes used positively to mean 'authentic' or 'hard-working'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“In 2005, after 13 years in the police force, Black officer George Washington Jonson finds himself in hot water when his redneck rookie partner shoots and kills a white teenager.” Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/redneck