Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a contemptuous term used for white people, used especially against poor rural whites in the southern united states. Crackers article about crackers by the free dictionary. Mar 30, 2007 clarence major, in his dictionary of afroamerican slang, lists two rather interesting ideas about the origin of the term. A term that is widely used in texting and on facebook, twitter, instagram and elsewhere on the internet, but what does cocky mean in slang. The first is that a cracker was a slang term used by 19th century georgian slaves to refer to the slavemasters. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of course, that. If you would like to suggest a term or an update to an existing one. All of our slang term and phrase definitions are made possible by our wonderful visitors. The meaning of the word has changed a lot over the last four centuries, said dana ste. Cracker definition in the cambridge english dictionary. Its super offensive, as a white person, to call yourself and other white people this. It has been taken as an offensive and derogatory term to people of caucasian or european descent and is largely considered a slur in modern usage.
The early scotsirish settlers were mostly presbyterian, baptist and methodist. Information and translations of cracker in the most comprehensive. The term cracker was used in the north, nj and ny for sure in the 50s and 60s. Earlier this summer in this town of 7,000 people about 20 miles north of fort myers, a white police officer, stephen keyes, was called to a. The cracker term was soon associated with the descendants of these early settlers, especially the cowboys and farmers of georgia and florida. Information and translations of cracker in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Cracker comes from the gaelic word craic which means a good conversation and is still in use in ireland today. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of course, that thin. This page explains what the slang term cracker means. Claire, a florida historian and anthropologist who studies, er, crackers.
Synonyms for cracker at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. May 11, 2020 sense of computer cracker, crack, cracking, were promoted in the 1980s as an alternative to hacker, by programmers concerned about negative public associations of hack, hacking creative computer coding. One theory is that it refers to the cracked corn that was a major part of the diet of poor southern whites. Coal cracker is from 1853 of persons, 1857 of machinery that breaks up mined coal. A term in southeastern united states english to describe poor white trash, derived from the scottish meaning of the verb to crack, which, in this sense denotes ostentation. It was used against all white people by those now referred to as blacks, african americans, and so forth. If so, please share what you are really thinking about this comment. The related jesus christ on a cracker can be found in 1993s save me, joe louis by madison smartt bell. A whole mess of white people like to get worked up about the word cracker, some in the mistaken belief that this will somehow result in permission to use the nword. The meaning of the word has changed a lot over the last four. With a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. The term is derived from the famous saltine brand of crackers, which are square shaped.
The bbs culture has, as its seamy underside, a stratum of pirate boards inhabited by cracker s, phone phreaks, and warez d00dz. Jul 01, 20 but it turns out cracker s roots go back even further than the 17th century. But when the nickname is used by outsiders, it is usually with disparaging intent and perceived as insulting by georgians and floridians. Crackers, phreaks, and lamers from the early 1980s onward, a flourishing culture of local, msdosbased bulletin boards developed separately from internet hackerdom. Cracker definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Slang is very informal usage in vocabulary and idiom that is characteristically more metaphorical, playful, elliptical, vivid and ephemeral than ordinary language random house unabridged dictionary learn 600 slang expressions. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the slangit team. The term cracker is used as a neutral nickname by inhabitants of georgia and florida. That dude is a muddafuggin saltine a cracka and a square.
The amount of misinformation contained in some of these answers is amazing. Another version of the origin of cracker comes from the spanish term cuaquero, which means quaker. Claire pointed me to king john, published sometime in the 1590s. Definition of crackerhead the online slang dictionary.
Definition of the slang term cracker with an example. It implies a person who lives in the utmost worst conditions and a person who no one really cares about. Various theories exists regarding this terms application to poor white southerners. Jul 01, 20 with a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer.
At the same time, curiously, many plead ignorance when asked about the meaning of that statement. Two of the most popular theories are that the term cracker comes from as far back as the early 1800s and carried to the united states by scottish settlers in the south and appalachia. Much like nword privileges, cracker can be a proud selfdescription, a dire insult, or anything in between so its best to avoid the word unless youre certain that youre in the privileged group, with an audience that sees things the same way, and even then you can expect some criticism from outsiders. Do white people actually find the term cracker offensive. A cracker is a thin, crisp biscuit which is often eaten with cheese. But it turns out crackers roots go back even further than the 17th century. B are you more familiar than i with the history of the term cracker.
Alternate form of peckerhead, usually used affectionately. Particularly are they uncertain about that term cracker. A saltine is a person who is a cracker cracka and is also a square. Theyre tan on the outside, yet white on the inside.
Without smiling, to call floridian a cracker may be a crime the. Since the huge influx of new residents into georgia from the northern parts of the united states in the late 20th century, georgia cracker has become used informally by some white residents of georgia of scotirish and english stock, to indicate that their family has lived there for many generations. We are constantly updating our database with new slang terms, acronyms, and abbreviations. Safecracker, in slang crossword clue answer crossword. Cracker means something entirely different in florida. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of course, that thin, savory snack that cracks when you break it.
Because a cracker uses lowlevel hacker skills to do the cracking, the terms cracker and hacker have become synonymous with the latter becoming the predominant term. Urban dictionary and our advertising partners set cookies on your computer to improve our site and the advertisements you see. If this were in fact, true, then the term would come directly from the cracking of the slavemasters whip. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates cnn. I am of the opinion that given the predominance of even american movies at the very least the term cracker is now well known beyond north america. Where does the term cracker come from, and how disparaging is it. Cracker barrel 1861 barrel full of sodacrackers for sale was such a common feature of old country stores that the phrase came to be used by 1905 as an adjective, emblematic of downhome ways and views. All the way back to the age of shakespeare, at least. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates. Cracker dictionary definition cracker defined yourdictionary. It is sometimes used in a neutral context in reference to a native of florida or georgia see florida cracker and georgia cracker. Crackers definition of crackers by the free dictionary. Today were diving deep with some of the most lit terms from 2017. Cracker term cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a term for white people, used especially for poor rural whites in the southern united states.
1300 1551 305 668 479 1229 1264 355 1437 748 1202 862 1181 462 920 1265 1516 943 113 57 833 197 41 749 1510 1469 893 68 1401 595 708 113 32 805 1250 1454 21 1170 339 358