peckerwood

[ pek-er-woo d ]
/ ˈpɛk ərˌwʊd /

noun

Midland and Southern U.S. woodpecker.
Southern U.S. Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. poor white.

adjective

Southern U.S. small or insignificant: He makes a living farming and running a peckerwood sawmill.

Origin of peckerwood

1825–35, Americanism; pecker + wood1; inversion of woodpecker

Words nearby peckerwood

pechenga, pechora, peck, peck's bad boy, pecker, peckerwood, pecking order, peckinpah, peckish, pecksniff, pecksniffian

Example sentences from the Web for peckerwood

  • Perhaps I didn't quite believe in the red-headed Peckerwood myself just then, and felt unable to incarnate him to Matthew.

    The Golden Bird |Maria Thompson Daviess

  • Matthew lingered behind the others and helped me feed the old red ally and Mrs. Ewe and Peckerwood Pup.

    The Golden Bird |Maria Thompson Daviess