Some crackers break into a network system deliberately to point out the flaws. A cracker is someone who breaks into someone elses computer system, often on a network. Cracker is always disparaging and offensive when used to refer to a poor white person in the south. Why white people saying the nword isnt the same as black people saying cracker.
The nword has been used for centuries as a derogatory term for black people. Trayvon martins use of the term cracker doesnt make him a racist. Definition of cracker written for english language learners from the merriamwebster learners dictionary with audio pronunciations, usage examples, and countnoncount noun labels. Where does the term cracker come from, and how disparaging is it. The term derogatory means the information is negative and will likely hurt your ability to qualify for credit or other services. Derogatory definition of derogatory by the free dictionary. Derogatory comments take many forms, and have an impact on selfconcept and the wellbeing of the recipient. Cracker definition of cracker by the free dictionary. A term that derives from slavery, when white slave owners would crack the whip on africans. Today, cracker is often used as a derogatory term for a white person for obvious reasons. With the huge influx of new residents from the north, cracker is now used informally by some white residents of florida and georgia florida cracker or georgia cracker to indicate that their family has lived there for many generations.
A thin crisp wafer or biscuit, usually made of unsweetened dough. From cambridge english corpus however, 91 of the 297 inspected women were called kvinnspersoner a derogatory term for a woman at the time. Georgia cracker, a cattle driver of the georgia plains, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Cracker dictionary definition cracker defined yourdictionary. What does the racial term cracker mean and how did the. Ive never been called a cracker myself but if i was i would know it was meant as hurtful, insulting and basically. Many georgians were proud to call themselves georgia crackers who took the name from their ancestors who drove their cattle cracking whips south to florida grasslands.
Cracker definition for englishlanguage learners from. Cracker was a derogatory term applied to these poor farmers from before the american revolution. It implies a person who lives in the utmost worst conditions and a person who no one really cares about. Sense of computer cracker, crack, cracking, were promoted in the 1980s as an alternative to hacker, by programmers concerned about negative public associations of hack, hacking creative computer coding. We are constantly updating our database with new slang terms, acronyms, and abbreviations. Cracker is not a derogatory term for white people and you cant equate it to nigger. Derogatory adjective definition and synonyms macmillan. As for religion, a friend of mine was once choked by her own father, who demanded that she tell him that she didnt practice wicca. The word was used to describe people of african descent because of their dark skin, and over time, it became a derogatory term to for black people. In the latest episode of the online program, ramsey dives into the history of the terms cracker, redneck and white trash to show that these words were actually invented by. It struck my ears as dated, like ofay or honky, the kind of slur an old head like richard pryor might have uttered.
Earlier this summer in this town of 7,000 people about 20 miles north of fort myers, a white police officer, stephen keyes, was called to a. Cracker actually emphasizes the power that whites have traditionally held in american society. Times, sunday times 2012 their comments can be derogatory or insulting. How did it come to be or where did it orginate from. A cracker is an individual who performs cracking, or the process of breaking into a computer or a network system. All definitions are approved by humans before publishing. Without smiling, to call floridian a cracker may be a crime the.
Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates cnn. Since then, its meaning has become more generalized and it is often used by blacks to describe whites, especially racist whites. 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. Im white but it does not bother me to hear the term. Most commonly, the term derogatory refers to accounts that are 60 or. Derogatory definition in the cambridge english dictionary.
It is a derogatory term used to refer to white people, sort of like the white version of the n word. Why white people saying the nword isnt the same as black. Cracker or honkey simply does not have the same impact as other terms aimed at other racial categories. Infact it actually just ends up being another insult to blacks because it refers to slave owners cracking the whip at the slaves. When used by black people, cracker can refer to a southern white racist, not necessarily poor or rural. 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. Derogatory definition and meaning collins english dictionary.
Cracker state definition, georgia used as a nickname. Unfortunately in todays society anyone who voices this opinion is automatically branded the racist. Examples of derogatory comment in a sentence, how to use it. It is a farmers who raised only cracked products, such as wheat and corn. With a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. Im pretty sure cracker is an anti white racial slur right. Its a racial slur nowadays because word meanings and usages change and evolve over time. The term is, indeed, a somewhat derogatory term for white people. A derogatory account is one that is seriously past due. This page explains what the slang term cracker means. This is the british english definition of derogatory. Back in the 1700s, cracker was a derogatory term used by american whites to describe poor southerners of their own race. Cracker meaning in the cambridge english dictionary.
A cracker might be performing cracking for malicious activities, profit, for certain nonprofit intentions or causes, or just for a challenge. Although originally a classist term, meaning the same as poor white trash, it has evolved through usage to be a derogatory term for someone considered a w. It depends on the intention of the person using the term. Definition of derogatory adjective in oxford advanced learners dictionary. At the merciful close of key prosecution witness rachel jeantels testimony in the trial of george zimmerman for the murder of trayvon martin. The new york drag performer said that as a resident of harlem, a predominantly black neighborhood, she gets called cracker all the time. Cracker isnt a slur posted in the fragilewhiteredditor. Change your default dictionary to american english. Cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a racial slur used against white people, used especially against poor rural whites in the southern united states. The rhetoric that many students used in defense of cracker, including arguments that it wont put white peoples lives in danger and that its much less derogatory, is reminiscent of specious claims that racism is no longer a problem in america because blacks are far less oppressed than they once were. Theres no dehumanizing context or definition behind it. Cracker is a term that was coined to describe poor animals herders who often used whips in their duties. 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.
Something thats derogatory is insulting or disrespectful. If you make a derogatory remark or comment about someone or something, you express your. If you make derogatory comments, that means you say things that are unflattering, unkind, or demeaning. To the topic itself, yes, cracker is generally used as a racial term in a derogatory manner, and yes you can be racist to white people.
What derogatory means on your credit report experian. Cracker is not a derogatory term for white people and you. The opening episode of season 10 of rupauls drag race introduced us to a drag queen who called herself miz cracker, just like the snack and the racial slur, she said. Cracker has also been used as a proud or jocular selfdescription. If you would like to suggest a term or an update to an existing one, please let us know. Definition and synonyms of derogatory from the online english dictionary from macmillan education.
We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website, including to provide targeted advertising and track usage. Mostly it was used in the 1950s through the 1980s, but there are probably some people who still use it today. Does it target all whites or just a subsection of whites. Crackerbarrel 1861 barrel full of sodacrackers for sale was such a common feature of old country stores that the phrase came to be used by 1905 as an adjective, emblematic of downhome ways and views. Continued processing with a granulator andor cracker mill, possibly with the aid of cryogenics or. Lets examine miz crackers drag name and whether its a. How did the slang term cracker come about to mean white. Cracker means something entirely different in florida. Where does the term cracker come from, and how disparaging. The nword is tied to horrendous occurrences in our nations past and recent history and used to. A cracker is not a slave owner or overseer cracking a whip. Computer cracker or security hacker who maliciously exploits weaknesses in a computer or network. It has no etymology beyond a descriptor for black people, and its so bad, we cant fucking say it.
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