hillbilly

noun

hill·​bil·​ly ˈhil-ˌbi-lē How to pronounce hillbilly (audio)
plural hillbillies
often disparaging + offensive
: a person from a backwoods area

Examples of hillbilly in a Sentence

Other kids called her a hillbilly because of her accent and her simple clothes. in the skit, he was a shy hillbilly in love with a city girl

Word History

Etymology

hill entry 1 + Billy, nickname for William

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hillbilly was in 1880

Dictionary Entries Near hillbilly

Cite this Entry

“Hillbilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hillbilly. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hillbilly

noun
hill·​bil·​ly ˈhil-ˌbil-ē How to pronounce hillbilly (audio)
plural hillbillies
often offensive
: a person from a mountainous backwoods area
often used disparagingly

More from Merriam-Webster on hillbilly

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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