mossback

American  

[maws-bak, mos-] / ˈmɔsˌbæk, ˈmɒs- /

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.

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mossback British  

/ ˈmɒsˌbæk /

noun

1. an old turtle, shellfish, etc, that has a growth of algae on its back

2. informal a provincial or conservative person

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Other Word Forms

• mossbacked adjective

Etymology

Origin of mossback

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

Example Sentences

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

From Seattle Times • Mar. 1, 2023

To the passengers, most railroaders are mossback operators who neglect service while engaging in a never-ending round of raising fares, chopping schedules and eliminating branch lines.

From Time Magazine Archive

South Carolina's grumpy, mastiff-faced old Ellison DuRant Smith may be the Senate's No. 1 mossback, but South Carolina loves him still, treasures him as a precious relic.

From Time Magazine Archive

Rausch's six-month rule may strike some as draconian, but the bishop is no mossback.

From Time Magazine Archive

The mossback is the man who tries to use the old methods under the new conditions; he is not "up" with the present times, but "back" with the old times.

From Chapters in Rural Progress by Butterfield, Kenyon L. (Kenyon Leech)