hillbilly

American  

[hil-bil-ee] / ˈhɪlˌbɪl i /

noun

plural

hillbillies

1. a term used to refer to a person from a backwoods or other remote area, especially from the mountains of the southern U.S. (sometimes used facetiously).

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adjective

1. of, like, or relating to hillbillies.

   hillbilly humor.

hillbilly British  

/ ˈhɪlˌbɪlɪ /

noun

1. derogatory an unsophisticated person, esp from the mountainous areas in the southeastern US

2. another name for country and western

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Sensitive Note

Hillbilly is often used with disparaging intent and perceived as insulting, implying that a person who lives far away from a town or city lacks culture or education. However, this term is also used in a humorous way without intent to offend, and it is sometimes a positive term of self-reference.

Etymology

Origin of hillbilly

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; hill + Billy

Compare meaning

How does hillbilly compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hillbilly vs. redneck

Example Sentences

So I was learning all this hillbilly music with my uncle, and then I focused on being an awesome guitar player.

From BBC

However, Vance has also described himself as a "Scots-Irish hillbilly at heart" in the past, with his ancestors having moved to the Appalachian region in the US more than three centuries ago.

From BBC

The book may never wind up on a bestseller list or see the big screen, but Terra Vance said its lessons on empathy and perseverance are “the real hillbilly elegy.”

From Los Angeles Times

Others accepted Vance but don’t like him, mainly because his book criticizes hillbillies for their “bad choices” and flawed culture and celebrates his own desperate escape out of it.

From Salon

He falsely introduces himself to his Yale classmates as “a conservative hillbilly from Appalachia.”

From Salon

Related Words

• bumpkin