white trash
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.39 in modern English
19
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A poorly educated white person or, collectively, white people of low social status and often regarded as lazy, irresponsible, unintelligent, etc.
American usage; Derogatory; Offensive; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "This white trash can't pay for his own beer."
- "These lowlife characters are white trash."
- "Among these odd folk, who correspond exactly to the decadent element of “white trash” in the South, law and morals are non-existent; and their general mental status is probably below that of any other section of the native American people."
- "“So, he is the father of Emmie Slattery’s baby,” thought Scarlett. “Oh, well. What else can you expect from a Yankee man and a white-trash girl?”"
- "When Linda was two and living in a San Pedro dive with her white-trash parents, he was twelve and gaining clandestine access to wealthy homes in Bronxville and Scarsdale, New York, exorcising his nocturnal heart by delivering himself to the quiet muse of other people's dwellings, sometimes stealing, sometimes not. . . ."
- "Just some Portland white trash / You confronted your sorrow / Like there was no tomorrow / While the rest of the world only laughed"
Etymology
A shortening, first attested in 1850, of poor white trash, which black slaves in the Southern United States were said to call white individuals who worked in servile positions (for example, as butlers).
Usage
- American usage
- Derogatory
- Offensive
- Uncountable