nightrider

[ nahyt-rahy-der ]

noun

1. one of a band of mounted men, especially in the southern U.S. during Reconstruction, who committed nocturnal acts of violence and intimidation against Black people and Black sympathizers.

nightrider

/ ˈnaɪtˌraɪdə /

noun

1. a member of a band of mounted and usually masked White people in the southern US who carried out acts of revenge and intimidation at night after the Civil War

Derived Forms

• ˈnightˌriding, noun

Other Words From

• nightriding noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nightrider¹

First recorded in 1875–80; night + rider

Example Sentences

Miss Lucy, she is awful favourable to all this nightrider business.

From Project Gutenberg

The pirate and the nightrider are nothing to the fox, for romance and danger.

From Project Gutenberg