hayseed

   A humorous American term for someone who lives in the countryside, far from civilized city life. The word has been in use since at least the late nineteenth century. In the O.Henry short story At Arms with Morpheus ‘you unmitigated hayseed’ is addressed by a young man to his friend because the latter has just foolishly taken a dose of morphine instead of quinine. The word is clearly meant to mean ‘fool’ or ‘idiot’ in this instance, since there is no suggestion that the man addressed is a rustic. When an Australian man introduces someone to another man in A Salute to the Great McCarthy, by Barry Oakley, he says: ‘This is Tommy Thomson, hayseed.’ The man being addressed is from a small town in the bush, now living in the city.