Redneck

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɛdnɛk/

Definitions

1. A term for individuals from rural regions, often connected to traditional values and working-class identities
2. A descriptor for people, usually of the working class, who display a strong cultural affiliation with rural Southern life
3. A label used to characterize working-class individuals, typically from rural areas, who embrace a distinct cultural identity linked to Southern traditions and lifestyles

Etymology: The sunburned neck is the heart of this word. "Redneck" was originally a plain description of a farmer whose neck had turned red from long hours working in the fields under the sun, and only later became a label for rural working-class southerners. It is a compound of "red" and "neck," a type of formation called a bahuvrihi, in which the whole phrase describes a person by a single physical feature. The source also points to a close relative in South Africa. "Rooinek," literally "red neck," was used as a nickname for British soldiers, whose fair skin burned easily under the African sun. The two words developed independently, each from the same sunburned image.

Synonyms: hillbilly, countryman, rustic

Antonyms: urbanite, sophisticate