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hillbilly

[ hil-bil-ee ]
/ ˈhɪlˌbɪl i /
Often Disparaging and Offensive.
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noun, plural hill·bil·lies.
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).
adjective
of, like, or relating to hillbillies: hillbilly humor.

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Origin of hillbilly

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

usage note for hillbilly

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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use hillbilly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hillbilly

hillbilly
/ (ˈhɪlˌbɪlɪ) /

noun plural -lies
usually derogatory an unsophisticated person, esp from the mountainous areas in the southeastern US
another name for country and western

Word Origin for hillbilly

C20: from hill + Billy (the nickname)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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