hick
LowInformal, pejorative
Definition
Meaning
A person from a rural area, especially one perceived as unsophisticated or lacking in knowledge.
Characteristic of or resembling such a person; unsophisticated, provincial, rustic.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A strongly derogatory term. Its use implies contempt or mockery towards people from the countryside, stereotyping them as backward, simple, or ignorant. Use carries significant social judgment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly used in American English. In British English, terms like 'yokel' or 'bumpkin' might be more frequent, though 'hick' is understood.
Connotations
Strong negative stereotype in both dialects, often associated with lack of education, cultural awareness, and sophistication.
Frequency
Higher frequency and cultural salience in American English, often linked to stereotypes about the rural Midwest, South, or Appalachian regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
He's a [ADJ] hick.They treated us like [hick(s)].She comes from a [hick] town.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Hicksville (a small, unsophisticated town)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Highly inappropriate and unprofessional; would be considered discriminatory.
Academic
Not used in formal academic writing except in sociological or linguistic analyses of derogatory terminology.
Everyday
Used informally, but carries strong offensive potential. Can cause deep offense.
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Rare as a verb) To behave in an unsophisticated manner.
American English
- (Rare as a verb) He hicked his way through the city, gawking at the skyscrapers.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard usage)
American English
- (Not standard usage)
adjective
British English
- They left that hick town as soon as they could.
- He had a somewhat hick manner about him.
American English
- We drove through a real hick town with one stoplight.
- His hick accent gave him away immediately.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The film made fun of the hicks from the small village.
- He doesn't want to seem like a hick in the big city.
- She was tired of her colleagues treating her like some ignorant hick just because she grew up on a farm.
- The novel critiques the urban elite's disdain for so-called 'hick' values.
- The politician's attempt to connect with rural voters backfired when his speech came across as patronising to the very 'hicks' he was trying to court.
- The term 'hick' encapsulates a complex history of urban-rural cultural and economic divide.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HICK sounds like 'kick' – imagine someone kicking dust in a small, rural town, looking unsophisticated.
Conceptual Metaphor
RURAL IS BACKWARD / UNSOPHISTICATED
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as simple 'деревенщина' or 'сельский житель' as these are more neutral. Closer to 'деревенщина' in a very negative, mocking sense like 'деревенский простак' or 'неотёсанный деревенщина'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a neutral descriptor for someone from the countryside (it is always pejorative).
- Confusing it with 'hike' (a walk).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'hick' be MOST appropriate to use?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not a swear word, but it is a strong pejorative term. Using it to describe someone is insulting and can be considered discriminatory language.
Both are derogatory. 'Hick' is a general term for an unsophisticated rural person. 'Hillbilly' is more specific, often referring to people from remote mountainous regions (like Appalachia) and carries stronger connotations of poverty and cultural isolation.
Very rarely, and only in specific, intimate contexts (e.g., someone jokingly calling themselves a hick). When used by an outsider, it is almost always perceived as an insult.
Yes. Neutral terms include 'rural dweller', 'country person', 'provincial', or 'rustic'. The choice depends on the specific context and nuance required.