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

Stewart didn’t go for polyester suits or arenas, preferring the rough and rowdy “skull orchards” around Fort Pierce where he could alternate between hillbilly rock and progressive bluegrass.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

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 • Aug. 13, 2025

He’s a hillbilly, an elegist, and a Yale Law School graduate.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2025

“Very early on when I went on stage, I used fake buck teeth and did a hillbilly character,” Sickler says with a cringe.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2023

Benny Maestas joined them with little L-arry Mondragon, who immediately hit up the soft-hearted hillbilly for a quarter.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

Related Words

• bumpkin