Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Used as a disparaging term for a member of the white rural laboring class, especially in the southern United States.
  • noun A person regarded as having a provincial, conservative, often bigoted attitude.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An uncouth countryman: as, the hill-billies come from the hills, and the rednecks from the swamps. The expression rednecked hill-billy also occurs.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a poor White person in the southern United States

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Compound of red +‎ neck

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Examples

  • Anon just to clarify do you even know where the term redneck comes from?

    Hurt Locker's Kathryn Bigelow Wins Directors Guild Award! « FirstShowing.net 2010

  • They're real-life descendants of the Dukes of Hazzard who wave around the rebel flag and embrace the term "redneck" as a badge of honor.

    News 2011

  • The term redneck was also used in The West Virginia Coal Miners March (1921) or the Battle of Blair Mountain when coal miners wore red bandannas around their necks to identify themselves as seeking the opportunity to unionize.

    Propeller Most Popular Stories 2010

  • The term redneck was also used in The West Virginia Coal Miners March (1921) or the Battle of Blair Mountain when coal miners wore red bandannas around their necks to identify themselves as seeking the opportunity to unionize.

    Propeller Most Popular Stories 2010

  • The term redneck was also used in The West Virginia Coal Miners March (1921) or the Battle of Blair Mountain when coal miners wore red bandannas around their necks to identify themselves as seeking the opportunity to unionize.

    Propeller Most Popular Stories 2010

  • If the term redneck is offensive, forgive me, sir.

    ContactMusic Ltd | Latest News 2010

  • You should also know that as I have said elsewhere in these forums, where I come from the term redneck is a compliment.

    Army Rumour Service 2009

  • The term redneck indicates a lifestyle and culture that can be found in every state in our union.

    Monkeyfister 2008

  • As to having our delicate beer-sodden feelings protected from the term redneck; well, I appreciate the effort, though I highly suspect that the best way to hide snobbishness is to pose as protector of any class of folks you cannot bear.

    Monkeyfister 2008

  • To us, the term redneck indicates a culture we were born in and enjoy.

    Monkeyfister 2008

Comments

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  • Someone with a "glorious lack of sophistication," according to Jeff Foxworthy.

    February 7, 2007

  • The sun reddened the necks of Southerners who worked outdoors or in fields, and hence the name. These folks were not the professionals or the educated class or the plantation types. Being a redneck is really a state of mind. It refers to a person who does not speak proper English, whose world view is limited, and who may harbor a lot of prejudice against certain groups. Rednecks are, above all, ignorant. Today we still use the word in the South and it is still derogatory. What is interesting is that the term can be used for a white person who is a leader or head of something, and whose influence is among the lower middle classes. I think many state senators where I live are rednecks because of their political views. I could be mistaken. . .but I don't think so.

    August 14, 2008

  • Bit of a theme here. Love the pet carrier.

    April 4, 2009

  • You know you're a redneck if you've ever used a barstool as a walker.

    May 5, 2010