Oik

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used chiefly in British English to describe a person perceived as rude, uncultured, or boorish ; an expression of disapproval for someone considered socially inept or unpleasant ; a slang word implying unsociable or crude behavior
2. An informal British insult aimed at individuals viewed as crude, uncivilized, or vulgar ; a derogatory label for someone lacking refinement or considered socially unacceptable ; a pejorative term for a person behaving in a discourteous or coarse manner
3. A colloquial name used in the UK to identify a boorish or uncouth individual ; an appellation for a person who acts rudely or offensively in social situations ; an informal word expressing contempt for those with poor manners or unenlightened attitudes

Etymology: The origin of "oik" is genuinely unclear, and the most that can be said with confidence is that it turned up in British slang in the early twentieth century. Its sound has led some to suspect it imitates the coarse, unpolished speech it describes, though that is a guess rather than a documented fact. Dictionary of Contemporary Slang, a 2005 reference by Tony Thorne, records it as a term of disdain aimed at people judged crude or socially awkward. What makes the word worth a second look is how little it resembles the polite vocabulary around it. Its short, clipped shape carries the same dismissive note as the sneer it expresses, so the form itself seems to do some of the insulting. Whatever its true source, it has remained a distinctly British piece of informal abuse, rarely heard outside the country.

Synonyms: peasant, redneck, yokel, hillbilly, countryman

Antonyms: aristocrat, noble, gentleman, patrician, urbanite