hayseed

noun

hay·​seed ˈhā-ˌsēd How to pronounce hayseed (audio)
plural hayseed or hayseeds
Synonyms of hayseednext
1
a
: seed shattered from hay
b
: clinging bits of straw or chaff from hay
2
plural hayseeds : bumpkin, yokel

Synonyms

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Examples of hayseed in a Sentence

though educated and sophisticated, the country singer always put on the facade of an amiable hayseed when in public
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mantle was the voluble hayseed from Oklahoma who could hit anything but was corrupted by the big city, and wound up undone by alcohol and knee injuries. — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024 Today, the variety shows’ wise-clown hayseeds (overalls, prosthetic teeth, silly hats, no shoes) are the ones who get all the good lines, whose material is distinctive in its political sensibility and cultural hobbyhorses. — Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hayseed was in 1577

Rhymes for hayseed

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Browse Nearby Words

hay-scented fern
hayseed
haysel
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Cite this Entry

“Hayseed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hayseed. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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