hidebound

American  

[hahyd-bound] / ˈhaɪdˌbaʊnd /

adjective

1. narrow and rigid in opinion; inflexible.

   a hidebound pedant.

2. oriented toward or confined to the past; extremely conservative.

   a hidebound philosopher.

3. (of a horse, cow, etc.) having the back and ribs bound tightly by the hide.

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hidebound British  

/ ˈhaɪdˌbaʊnd /

adjective

1. restricted by petty rules, a conservative attitude, etc

2. (of cattle, etc) having the skin closely attached to the flesh as a result of poor feeding

3. (of trees) having a very tight bark that impairs growth

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Other Word Forms

• hideboundness noun

Etymology

Origin of hidebound

First recorded in 1550–60; hide ² + -bound ¹

Explanation

Hidebound things — or people — are stuck in the past, unable to change. Your grandmother's hidebound ideas about fashion mean she never leaves the house without a hat and matching purse. Someone who's painfully old-fashioned, with chauvinistic, inflexible ideas and beliefs about the world can be described as hidebound. A hidebound culture can make a school, family, or workplace difficult and unpleasant for anyone who doesn't fit those narrow-minded standards. In the 16th century, the adjective originally described a condition of cattle, an unhealthy and emaciated state. Hidebound evolved from there, first describing painfully thin people, then those who are "narrow in outlook."

Example Sentences

Lou seemed to enjoy his son best when he acted out the old man’s hidebound conception of masculinity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Over time, cadets concentrating in social sciences formed an elite enclave, which became an object of resentment and ridicule among some more hidebound officers.

From Slate • Feb. 9, 2026

In a post to Truth Social, Trump called on professional sports teams to be more hidebound.

From Salon • Jul. 20, 2025

Though she spent much of her career in academia, Mrs. Summers was far from a hidebound intellectual.

From New York Times • Oct. 26, 2023

As additional proof from other laboratories and experiments accumulated in the 1950s, even the most hidebound skeptics had to convert into believers.*

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee