backwoodsman
backwoodsman Lexical Profile
backwoodsman Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who lives in remote, heavily forested, or sparsely populated areas far from towns; a frontiersman or woodsman.
"The seasoned backwoodsman knew how to navigate the dense wilderness using only natural landmarks."
An uncouth, unsophisticated, or reactionary person who is out of touch with modern society.
"Critics dismissed the senator's outdated views as the rhetoric of a political backwoodsman."
British A member of the House of Lords who lives in the countryside and rarely attends parliamentary sessions except for major votes.
"The prime minister feared that conservative backwoodsmen would travel to London to block the constitutional reform bill."
• Rhymes for backwoodsman
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in late 18th-century American English from 'backwoods' (remote, uncleared forest regions on the frontier) and 'man'. In early 20th-century British political slang, the term was humorously adopted to describe peers of the House of Lords from remote country estates who rarely attended parliamentary sessions.