peckerwood

noun

peck·er·wood ˈpe-kər-ˌwu̇d

Southern US and Midland US, offensive

—used as an insulting and contemptuous term for a rural white Southerner

Word History

Etymology

probably inversion of woodpecker

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of peckerwood was in 1884

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Peckerwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/peckerwood. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

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peckerwood

noun

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