Arkie

noun

Ar·​kie
ˈärkē,
ˈȧkē,
-ki
plural -s
1
informal : a native or resident of Arkansas
It's always good to welcome back a fellow Arkie who's been away all too long.Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 16 May 2012
2
informal, sometimes disparaging : an itinerant agricultural worker
especially : such a worker from Arkansas in the 1930s
In the South the number of sharecroppers farms dropped from 776,278 in 1930 to 541, 291 in 1940. The result was a homeless population, some of whom, known in the folklore of the times as "Okies" and "Arkies," packed up and took off for California. Mary Beth Norton et al., A People and a Nation, 1988
compare okie

Word History

Etymology

Arkansas + -ie

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Arkie was in 1927

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near Arkie

Cite this Entry

“Arkie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arkie. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!