sharecropper

[ shair-krop-er ]

noun

1. a tenant farmer who pays as rent a share of the crop.

sharecropper

/ ˈʃɛəˌkrɒpə /

noun

1. a farmer, esp a tenant farmer, who pays over a proportion of a crop or crops as rent

Word History and Origins

Origin of sharecropper¹

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; share ¹ + cropper

Example Sentences

The daughter of a poor sharecropper who was also a Baptist minister, she started picking cotton at age 6.

From Washington Post

Her parents, who were sharecroppers, were forced from their land when Ruby integrated her elementary school.

From Washington Post

Robinson was the sole child of a third-generation sharecropper and a maid who earned a dollar a day.

From The Daily Beast

She was one homely sharecropper, that was a fact, but she had a nice feel for Lady Luck.

From Project Gutenberg

They moved on another place and started working sharecropper.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• grower
• laborer
• peasant
• producer
• rancher