Tar Heel

American  

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of North Carolina (used as a nickname).

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Usage

What is a Tar Heel? A Tar Heel is a nickname for a resident of North Carolina. It’s also the name of the University of North Carolina's (UNC) athletic teams, students, alums, etc.How is Tar Heel pronounced?[ tahr heel ]

Etymology

Origin of Tar Heel

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65

Example Sentences

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faced a barrage of negative feedback from applicants, parents and students after its student newspaper, the Daily Tar Heel, reported in January that the school was using AI to evaluate the grammar and writing style of applicants’ essays.

From Los Angeles Times

Before its passage, judges in the Tar Heel State had only found racial discrimination in jury selection one time.

From Slate

By his next stop in the Tar Heel state, the 78-year-old appeared even more exhausted, turning in what local outlet NC Newsline described as a “disjointed” appeal for votes in the small city of Kinston.

From Salon

North Carolina was second only to much, much larger California in the number of manufacturing jobs lost: According to one estimate, the Tar Heel State lost nearly half its jobs in that sector.

From Slate

Congressman Jeff Jackson, who represents the 14th District of North Carolina, located to the west of Charlotte, sent a message Monday outlining the needs of the mountainous region of the Tar Heel state, hardest hit by what he called a “once-in-500-year flood.”

From Salon