Origin of the slang word cracker

Africanamericans began to use the word in reference to all whites regardless of specific nation of origin. Another theory is that the term refers to whips that crackers used to drive slaves or cattle. And that this trickled down into american slang to be used by blacks against whites but it not in any way a reference to the race of the people its used against. It is ulster gaelic and scots gaelic creachadair word meaning, raider and freebooter, but also associated with the free range cattle drovers in ulster. Dec 31, 2006 there are various theories about the origin of the term cracker.

Apr 24, 2011 the word cracker has a primary meaning, in addition to its slang meaning. The oldest recorded birth by the social security administration for the name cracker is monday, march 26th, 1906. 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. Its a racial slur nowadays because word meanings and usages change and evolve over time. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the slangit team. Cracker barrel definition, of or suggesting the simple rustic informality and directness thought to be characteristic of life in and around a country store. Greens dictionary of slang also quotes the georgia jurist and educator a.

To daniel cassidy, author of the absurd how the irish invented slang, it was the origin of honky as in cracker or white person, as well as hunky a term for an eastern european immigrant, part of honkytonk aingiocht tarraingteach, not to mention hinky dodgy or suspicious and the anky. 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. Cracker definition and meaning collins english dictionary. The primary meaning for cracker is a thincrisp wafer, whether circular or square. You can use cracker crumbs, bread crumbs, or panko, but doyle is going to try groundup triscuits, which are made from whole wheat flour. The online etymology dictionary traces the slur cracker poor, white trash either to crack to boast or to corncracker poor white farmer. World wide words tries to record at least a part of this shifting wordscape by featuring new words, word histories, words in the news, and the curiosities of native english speech. Where does the term cracker come from, and how disparaging is it. When was the first name cracker first recorded in the united states. The word aingi pronounced angee is not that common in irish.

Synonyms for cracker at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. A cracker is not a slave owner or overseer cracking a whip. Cnn had a remarkable discussion panel this weekend, thanks to the presence of george zimmerman and paula deen in the news, in which. Where does the term cracker come from, and how disparaging. This entry was posted in an ghaeilge, drossary and tagged cracker, craic, daniel cassidy, dwelly, how the irish invented slang, mcwhiney, michael krasny, origin of word cracker, scots, scottish gaelic, shakespeare on december, 2017 by debunkerofcassidy. There is no definitive origin attributed to this phrase. While it currently has a negative connotation meant for whites who themselves are racist monist the black community, it was once a self described term of affection in georgia and other parts of. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of. Sometimes the owners of the general stores wouldnt accept anything but cotton, which forced a lot of crackers to change their crops. The latter derivation is essentially the same as your grandmothers, except that the staple food of poor farmers was cracked corn, not crackers. One theory is that it refers to the cracked corn that was a major part of the diet of poor southern whites. I was of the impression that cracker jack was originally used to describe a squaredaway us sailor, related to the early meaning of the term crack which you described in a recent article, and with jack tar for a sailor. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates. The original root of this is the middle english word crack meaning entertaining conversation one may be said to crack a joke.

At one point, krasny mentions the word cracker to cassidy. All the way back to the age of shakespeare, at least. It is a farmers who raised only cracked products, such as wheat and corn. Sprinkle cracker crumbs evenly over the bottom and sides, then pour in the ricotta mixture.

There are various theories concerning the origin of the term cracker. Jul 23, 2010 the slang cracker mean like white people you be talking about the other is white trash cracker refers to the barrels that were filled with wheat or wheat crackers owned by most wealthy. Crackerjack dictionary definition crackerjack defined. Cracker means something entirely different in florida. What is meaning of word allegedly used by antonio brown.

Refinery equipment used to pyrolyse organic feedstocks. This page explains what the slang term cracker means. Various theories exists regarding this terms application to poor white southerners. A cracker is a thin, crisp biscuit which is often eaten with cheese. Especially of georgians by 1808, though often extended to residents of northern florida. Compare latin crepare to rattle, crack, creak, with a secondary figurative sense of boast of, prattle, make ado about. Aug 20, 2002 some sources assert graham himself invented the snack in 1829. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates cnn. These stories are not about the nword and cracker the atlantic. This idiom has its origins in slavery white people were called crackers because of the sound of a slaveowners whip. With a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. Adjectival meaning topnotch, superior, excellent, first rate as in a crack shot is slang from 1793, perhaps from earlier verbal sense of do any thing with quickness or smartness johnson, or from the verb in the sense of speak boastingly and suggesting having qualities to be proud of century dictionary.

Cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a racial slur used against white people, used especially against poor rural whites in the southern united states. But when the nickname is used by outsiders, it is usually with disparaging intent and perceived as insulting by georgians and floridians. Coalcracker is from 1853 of persons, 1857 of machinery that breaks up mined coal. Jul 20, 2016 this feature is not available right now. 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. If this were in fact, true, then the term would come directly from the cracking of the slavemasters whip. 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. Jul 01, 20 but it turns out cracker s roots go back even further than the 17th century. Slang word used to refer to those of european ancestry.

Ramsey claims that the word cracker originated from the british slang for cracked head, as in that bloke is crackers and was used to insult the poor and working class. The origin of the word cook is completely different, being of latin origin. 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. How did the slang term cracker come about to mean white. The meaning of the word has changed a lot over the last four centuries, said dana ste. There are various theories about the origin of the term cracker. Cracker was a derogatory term applied to these poor farmers from before the american revolution. But it turns out crackers roots go back even further than the 17th century. Slang a person or thing of recognized excellence 2. It is sometimes used in a neutral context in reference to a native of florida or georgia see florida cracker and georgia cracker. The word biscuit got to england via the french, who had, as mentioned above, gotten it from the romans. The first is that a cracker was a slang term used by 19th century georgian slaves to refer to the slavemasters.

This is the word i believe is the actual origin of cracker. If catalyst is used to aid pyrolysis it is informally called a cat cracker slang, chiefly britain a fine thing or person crackerjack. Cracker dictionary definition cracker defined yourdictionary. Where did the term come from though, and is it actually as offensive as other racial s. 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 an idiom is. From 1880 to 2018 less than 5 people per year have been born with the first name cracker. The term cracker is used as a neutral nickname by inhabitants of georgia and florida. Claire, a florida historian and anthropologist who studies, er, crackers. What is the origin of the term cracker as it refers to.

The us term crackerjack has had a complicated history. In the interview, cassidy laughs smugly and says that he is certain that the word cracker is derived from irish. Georgia cracker refers to the original american pioneer settlers of the province of georgia later, the state of georgia, and their descendants in the late 19th century and the early part of the 20th century, georgia ranchers came to be known as georgia crackers by floridians when they drove their cattle down into the grassy flatlands of central florida to graze in the winter, stopping. The soda cracker, an american product, predates the cream cracker, and, as we shall see, the word cracker, in the united states, predates the word biscuit as well. Aug 15, 20 the word cracker is commonly understood as a racist slur for whites. The word is thought to have either derived from the sound of a whip being cracked by slave owners, or because crackers are generally white in color. But dare compares corn cracker kentuckian, also poor, lowclass white farmer of georgia and north carolina 1835, u. Crackerjack definition of crackerjack by merriamwebster. Although originally a classist term, meaning the same as poor white trash, it has evolved through usage to be a derogatory term for someone considered a w. We are constantly updating our database with new slang terms, acronyms, and abbreviations.

In short, i think cracker is the anglicised form of creachadoir. The meaning of the word has changed a lot over the last four. How did the slang term cracker come about to mean white people. The term cracker was in use during elizabethan times to describe braggarts. Meaning instrument for crushing or cracking is from 1630s. Trayvon martins friend said he described george zimmerman as a creepyass cracker. Crackerjack definition is a person or thing of marked excellence.