hillbilly

American  

[hil-bil-ee] / ˈhɪlˌbɪl i /

noun

PLURAL

hillbillies

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.

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

Example Sentences

But one of the most remarkable things about King was the diversity of its catalog, which ranged from “hillbilly” music to “race records.”

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From BBC

Appalachia today includes pockets of extreme poverty and its inhabitants are often offensively depicted as "hillbillies" - simple, unsophisticated and poor.

From BBC

However, Vance has also described himself as a "Scots-Irish hillbilly at heart" in the past, with his ancestors having moved to the Appalachian region in the US more than three centuries ago.

From BBC

Forget the “minutiae of Medicaid policy,” tweeted Vice President JD Vance, supposed elegist of hillbillies and other downtrodden Americans — it’s the extra immigration crackdown cash that counts.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bumpkin