cyarn meaning, carn Appalachian slang, cyarn southern slang, carrion dialect, cyarn smell
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "cyarn" (sometimes spelled carn or cairn) means carrion - the decaying flesh of a dead animal. It’s often used figuratively for anything with a foul, rotten smell.
synonyms: carrion, rotten flesh, stink, dead animal
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I've never heard anybody say something 'smells like cyarn,' only read it. And I wouldn't wanna smell it. Pronunciation
[CAR-n, CY-urn] /ˈkɑrn/, /ˈkaɪ.ɚn/
Meaning & Usage
- Decaying flesh of a dead animal (noun)
Clara:
Don’t go down by the creek - there’s cyarn down there from that old cow.
Don’t go down by the creek - there’s cyarn down there from that old cow.- Anything foul-smelling (figurative use)
Elmer:
Something’s burning in the oven, and it stinks like cyarn.
Something’s burning in the oven, and it stinks like cyarn.variations: carn, cairn, kharn
Origin
From the English word carrion (decaying flesh), altered in pronunciation through Southern and Appalachian speech into cyarn, carn, or cairn. The clipped and slurred form has been in common dialect use for generations.
Notes
- Cyarn is still widely recognized in Appalachian and rural Southern areas.
- Often used figuratively to mean "something smells awful," not just literal dead flesh.
- The spelling kharn sometimes appears, but cyarn and carn are the most common authentic forms.