Rural Dictionary

hoosier

Indiana definition (most common and nationally recognized definition): 1. A native or inhabitant of Indiana (taken from Oxford American Dictionary). 2. An alumnus or student of Indiana University. Also "Hoosiers": Indiana University sports teams. Note: The Indiana University Basketball team is sometimes referred to as “the Hurryin’ Hoosiers.”

St. Louis Definition (regional slang term): Generally means redneck, hick, or someone from Missouri outside of St. Louis or certain areas of St. Louis.

The word itself and its most common definition have its origins in the state of Indiana (also known as the Hoosier State), though the word has taken on regional meanings outside of Indiana, most commonly in and around the St. Louis, MO area. However, even the St. Louis definition can trace its origins to Indiana and Indiana natives transplanted to the St. Louis area.

There are other definitions on Urban Dictionary that outline the St. Louis definition of the word Hoosier in some detail and the better ones include a history of the word. I won’t go through those definitions again, but I would like to point out, as I did above, that if you look at the origins of the St. Louis meaning you will see that this word, as used in St. Louis, also has its roots in Indiana.

Also, contrary to other definitions listed here, Indiana University has no mascot -- there is no “Indiana Hoosier.”

The following is from the July/August 1992 issue of the Indiana Alumni Magazine:

Still, the many theories are fascinating in their diversity. Take the one that has a contractor in 1825 named either Samuel Hoosier or Hoosher. His workers, who helped build a canal on the Ohio River, were predominantly from Indiana. They were called "Hoosier's men" or "Hoosiers."

A more colorful tale has the word deriving from the phrase fearful early settlers called out when startled by a knock on their cabin door: "Who's here?" — a call that over time degenerated into Hoosier.

And then there's the tongue-in-cheek explanation of Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley, who related the term to the roughness and ferocity of the state's early residents. Hoosier pioneers fought so violently, Riley contended, that noses were bitten off and eyes jabbed out during these brawls. Hoosier, said Riley, descends from the question posed by a stranger after entering a southern Indiana tavern and pushing a piece of human flesh with his boot toe: "Who's ear?"

Not nearly so clever but perhaps more plausible is the suggestion by Peckham and others that the term may derive from "hoozer" — a word that in the Cumberland dialect of Old England means "high hills."

"By extension, it was attached to a hill-dweller or highlander and came to suggest roughness and uncouthness," Peckham states. "Thus, throughout the Southeast in the eighteenth century, 'Hoosier' was used generally to describe a backwoodsman, especially an ignorant boaster, with an overtone of crudeness and even lawlessness."

That theory has won the most favor from Warren Roberts, MA'50, PhD'53, an IUB folklore professor who has shown how family surnames may have brought this form of Hoosier from Britain to its Midwest resting place.

Whatever its origin, historians agree that the nickname for Indiana residents was popularized in the 1800s by novels such as Edward Eggleston's The Hoosier School-Master, by Riley's poetry, and by newspaper articles that used it. As a result, although its historical roots may never be discovered, Hoosier is perhaps the most widely recognized state nickname. But even this modern meaning is ambiguous, and the word's use ranges from complimentary to derisive, depending on who is using it.

Indiana Examples: 1. Joe is from Indiana; he’s a Hoosier like us. 2. I was a Hoosier in college; I went to Indiana University. 3. Did you see that the Hoosiers made it to a bowl game this year in football?

St. Louis Example: Did you see the gun-rack in Craig's pick-up? He's such a hoosier.

by Soldier_Dude December 28, 2007

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hoosier

St. Louis Breakdown:

"South City Hoosier" - These are hoosiers that have all the hoosier trademarks and live south of Highway 44. Almost all of the men work in the automotive field. The women usually are the ones buying Basic cigarettes and scratch-off tickets at a South Grand gas station on Wednesday mornings while thier 7 and 9 year old kids are listening to Eminem in the Astro van.

"South County Hoosier" - These hoosiers aren't always poor rednecks. In fact, most of them own homes and have decent jobs. Look for fishing boats in the driveways, Christmas lights in May and stockpiles of Busch Light beer. Many of the men are hunters and/or fishermen and all have buddies that can fix your car. The women usually have part-time jobs, and slightly newer vans. Many south county hoosiers grew up as south city hoosiers.

"Jefferson County Hoosier" - These hoosiers are a wily bunch. Most drive pickup trucks and have boots that are heavily stained and torn to shreds. They usually start sentences with "hey man..." and all of thier stories are about thier brother-in-law. They too hunt, but can't afford to have thier deer stuffed and mounted like most South County Hoosiers. Almost all of these hoosiers are extremely conservative, and very few work in St. Louis. The women generally wear clothes from 1993 and rock 80's style femullets and bangs. Most smoke menthol cigarettes but will buy the non-menthol brands for thier 14 year old sons named Levi.

"St. Charles Hoosiers" - St.Chares hoosiers are rare sightings. They look normal, and drive nice trucks but almost always live in a home that contains wheels. They have money for stuff like Imo's pizza and Bud Light beer, but only on Saturday's or during Rams's games. They often don't even know that they are in fact hoosiers because they live in St. Charles, howvever the burger king bags on they're floorboards and Z107.7 stickers on their cars are a dead giveaway.

South City - "We went to Ted Drewe's last night"
"Oh yeah, how was that?"
"It was alright, but a total hoosier-fest!"

South County - "I was pulling out of my street and my freakin' hoosier neighbors' dog ran right in front of my car!"

Jefferson County - "Hey man do you have a copy of AC/DC's Back in Black at your place? My damn brother-in-law borrowed mine like three weeks ago, and I aint seen it since!"

St. Charles - "I met some girl at Harrah's but the minute she started talking about how she filed a restraining order against her ex, I knew I was dealing with a full-fledged hoosier!"

by Mike McClanahan January 19, 2008

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hoosier

St. Louis Meaning: white trash of the worst kind. Also used as an adjective to describe anything several notches below your own perceived sophistication. Dates back to a strike that occurred in St. Louis in the 30's. During this strike, scab workers from Indiana were brought in to fill in for strikers. The pejorative term hoosier stems from the St. Louis workers' lack of appreciation for this.

Noun:
Rob: Man, I didn't like that bar.
Mike: Yeah, it's full of hoosiers.

Adjective:
Edna: Did you see how she was dressed?
Cynthia: Yes, she is sooo hoosier.

by MiamiPrice December 6, 2004

249👍 252👎

hoosier

there are basically two categories of hoosier:
A. hoosier by birth
B. hoosier by lifestyle

a hoosier by birth really has no choice but to be a hoosier. They come from a long line of hoosiers, described by St. Louisian Glenn Savan in his book White Palace as "decendants of transplanted Ozark farmers.' Usually overweight, trailor inhabiting, junk food eating, quasi-inbred folks whose idea of luxury is shopping at Wal-Mart and when in the mood for gourmet dining, go to Ponderosa. For the ultimate in entertainment, it's the Jerry Springer Show or pro wrestling. Of course, NASCAR is big also. But the mecca of the true hoosier is Six Flags Ovcr Mid-America in Eureka, MO. A disproportinate number of hoosiers can be found at hospitals, as both patients and visitors, a result of a lifetime of artery clogging, blood pressure raising diet and smoking cigarettes. Due to its proximity to Jefferson County, St. Anthony's Hospital in south St. Louis County is a prime spot for hoosier watching,

Hoosiers by lifestyle have no excuse. They more often than not come from decent families but once are grown up and on their own, they choose to live like white trash. They listen to metal music, drink beer in excess, spend hundreds of dollars on fireworks every Fourth of July, allow their dogs to shit in their neighbors' yard, and attend professional sporting events not affordable for born hoosiers, and of course they are drunk and obnoxious at these baseball/football/hockey games.

Only a total hoosier would throw an empty drink cup out of the car window.

by Woody Thomas July 25, 2008

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