hillbilly

American  

[hil-bil-ee] / ˈhɪlˌbɪl i /

noun

hillbillies plural

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.

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• hillbillies
  plural

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

Explanation

A hillbilly is a particularly unworldly country person. If you grew up in a remote rural area, visiting a big city for the first time can make you feel a bit like a hillbilly. It's not nice to call someone a hillbilly — it's an insult, implying stupidity or at least a profound lack of sophistication. You might picture a hillbilly wearing overalls and chewing tobacco, uneducated and inexperienced. Today the word includes anyone who seems to fit this stereotype, but originally it meant specifically "southern Appalachian U.S. resident," from the hilly terrain in that area and the first name Billy.

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

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

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2025

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

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2025

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 • Oct. 7, 2024

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