hayseed

American  

[hay-seed] / ˈheɪˌsid /

noun

1. grass seed, especially that shaken out of hay.

2. small bits of the chaff, straw, etc., of hay.

3. an unsophisticated person from a rural area; yokel; hick.

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hayseed British  

/ ˈheɪˌsiːd /

noun

1. seeds or fragments of grass or straw

2. informal a yokel

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Etymology

Origin of hayseed

First recorded in 1570–80; hay + seed

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Explanation

A hayseed is an unintelligent country person, or a hick. You might be tempted to call your farmer cousin a hayseed, but your cousin would probably be upset. The derogatory term hayseed is aimed at rural folks who aren't particularly urbane or savvy — it's a stereotype of someone who's comfortable in the country being awkward, bumbling, and unsophisticated, especially when visiting a city. This U.S. slang comes from the common 19th century saying that country people "have hayseed in their hair."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hayseed

Old meaning of hick: hayseed, rube, ill-educated person.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

Grey Henson and Ashley D. Kelley as the gleeful Storytellers, Kevin Cahoon as a hayseed philosopher and Caroline Innerbichler as the requisite ingenue all joyfully indulge the cheeky, harmlessly off-color vibe.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 20, 2023

He chose his favored venue of the Aspen Ideas festival, where his transfixing hayseed act has been a perennial marquee attraction.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 11, 2020

But Mr. Harron became best known for playing Charlie Farquharson, a wisecracking hayseed whose inspiration he traced to his days working on an Ontario farm.

From New York Times ● Jan. 28, 2015

When we didn’t speak, Aileen hummed so softly and warmly, I thought of the cicadas and the crickets singing at dusk in the dust and hayseed of Uncle Earl’s farm.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

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