Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for mossback

mossback

[ maws-bak, mos- ]

noun

  1. Informal.
    1. a person holding very antiquated notions; reactionary.
    2. a person living in the backwoods; rustic.
  2. an old turtle.
  3. Angling. a large and old fish, as a bass.
  4. a wild bull or cow.


mossback

/ ˈmɒsˌbæk /

noun

  1. an old turtle, shellfish, etc, that has a growth of algae on its back
  2. informal.
    a provincial or conservative person
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈmossˌbacked, adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of mossback1

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; moss + back 1
Discover More

Example Sentences

Whether proud mossbacks or fresh transplants, Pacific Northwesterners value the bounty of our lush evergreen state.

Cool as cucumber seltzer, the hometown favorites helped the still-gathering crowd beat the midday heat as temperatures approached 80 degrees — desertlike conditions for resident mossbacks.

In true mossback fashion, he bought a plot of land on a particularly damp section of the island because he loved the rain.

Newcomers eager to burnish their Seattle credentials and mossbacks looking for a refresher course will find plenty to like at the museum affectionately known as MOHAI.

Tourism and hospitality: This was one of the hardest-hit sectors during the pandemic, and as much as mossbacks hate it Seattle is a big tourism town.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


moss animalMössbauer