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. A thin crisp wafer or biscuit, usually made of unsweetened dough. A cracker is a thin, crisp biscuit which is often eaten with cheese. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates. Nov, 2006 a cracker was basically someone who cracks a lot of jokes but usually always refers to scotch or irish.
Cracker definition of cracker by the free dictionary. Looking for online definition of cracker or what cracker stands for. 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. We are constantly updating our database with new slang terms, acronyms, and abbreviations.
Definition of cracker written for english language learners from the merriamwebster learners dictionary with audio pronunciations, usage examples, and countnoncount noun labels. Cracker, the old standby of anglo insults was first noted in the mid 18th century, making it older than the united states itself. The latter explanation makes sense, because in piney. Some crackers break into a network system deliberately to point out the flaws.
A stronger flour or less fermentation are indicated. A cracker was basically someone who cracks a lot of jokes but usually always refers to scotch or irish. Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a usually disparaging term for poor whites, mainly used in the southern united states, but in recent decades in usage throughout north america. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of course, that thin. If you would like to suggest a term or an update to an existing one. Us another word for poor white cracker a cookie prepared from wheat flour, shortening, and yeast.
However, nowadays, especially in florida, it is just a pejoritive for any white person. Cyber attacks against journalists and media organizations around the world have increased over the past few years as criminal hackers provide a cheap and easy way of censoring the press, a media rights group said on thursday. The epithet cracker has been applied in a derogatory way, like redneck, to rural, nonelite white southerners, more specifically to those of south georgia and north florida. Cracker means something entirely different in florida. A dry, thin, crispy baked bread usually salty or savoury, but sometimes sweet, as in the case of graham crackers and animal crackers. Cracker meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. With a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer.
As the majority in the us making up over 82% of the total population, whites can be offended by the term, but given the illustrations above, obviously do not take it too seriously or find it threatening. A very flat bottom, with too many small blisters, usually goes with a very tender, flat cracker. As it turns out, in the area in which rachel jeantel was raised, the word cracker isnt a racial slur at all, but rather, a proud nod to the regions history, and ones own ancestry. 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. When used by black people, cracker can refer to a southern white racist, not necessarily poor or rural. This page explains what the slang term cracker means. If catalyst is used to aid pyrolysis it is informally called a cat cracker slang, chiefly britain a fine thing or person crackerjack. You can find this even back in some of shakespeares plays, like king john. I should explain to your lordship what is meant by crackers.
Another theory is that the term refers to whips that crackers used to drive slaves or cattle. Cracker is always disparaging and offensive when used to refer to a poor white person in the south. They would put a short length of twisted twine or string attached to the end of a whip to produce a cracking sound. I know it goes back to before 1600 which would put its or. Compare latin crepare to rattle, crack, creak, with a secondary figurative sense of boast of, prattle, make ado about. Do white people actually find the term cracker offensive. A dry, thin, crispy, and usually salty or savoury biscuit a short piece of twisted string tied to the end of a whip that cr. In american slang,what does a cracker mean,and is it. It was used to refer to poor whites, particularly those. 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. The amount of misinformation contained in some of these answers is amazing. One theory holds that it originated with disadvantaged corn and wheat farmers. 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.
Folk etymology claims the term originated either from their cracking, or pounding, of corn rather than taking it to mill, or from their use of whips to drive cattle. Jul 01, 20 but it turns out cracker s roots go back even further than the 17th century. Crackers definition of crackers by the free dictionary. Cracker comes from the gaelic word craic which means a good conversation and is still in use in ireland today. One theory holds that the term comes from the common diet of poor whites. But it turns out crackers roots go back even further than the 17th century. 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. What does the racial term cracker mean and how did the.
Cracker definition for englishlanguage learners from. Implied in the term cracker is that they dont fit in with other white culture. Synonyms for cracker at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Cracker article about cracker by the free dictionary. The early scotsirish settlers were mostly presbyterian, baptist and methodist. A dry, thin, crispy, and usually salty or savoury biscuit a short piece of twisted string tied to the end of a whip that creates the distinctive sound when the.
Used other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning. A cracker might be performing cracking for malicious activities, profit, for certain nonprofit intentions or causes, or just for a challenge. One theory is that it refers to the cracked corn that was a major part of the diet of poor southern whites. The truth is that cracker and its many synonyms are not considered as strong or offensive as similar negative words for minorities.
It is sometimes used in a neutral context in reference to a native of florida, georgia or texas see florida cracker, georgia cracker or texas cracker. Information and translations of cracker in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Various theories exists regarding this terms application to poor white southerners. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the slangit team. All the way back to the age of shakespeare, at least. This page may contain terms or definitions that are offensive or inappropriate for some readers. Definition of the slang term cracker with an example. Is the spanish slang guera for white girl a derogatory term. 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. Refinery equipment used to pyrolyse organic feedstocks.
Cracker definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Crackers meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. Another version of the origin of cracker comes from the spanish term cuaquero, which means quaker. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates cnn. Urban dictionary and our advertising partners set cookies on your computer to improve our site and the advertisements you see.
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