noun
hillbilly
HIHL-bih-lee
noun
1
(often informal or disparaging) A person from a rural, hilly area, especially the southern United States, stereotyped as unsophisticated.
"The movie leaned on tired hillbilly stereotypes for its jokes."
How to Use Hillbilly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA stereotype-laden term for someone from rural, mountainous parts of the American South.
When to use it
Often considered derogatory or a stereotype; use with care, especially outside self-identification.
Word Forms
hillbillied past tense, hillbillies plural, hillbillies singular
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Etymology
From hill + billy ("fellow"), a term originally used for rural mountain dwellers, especially in Appalachia.