Earbobs
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "earbobs" traditionally means earrings, especially dangly ones worn for church or Sunday dress. In some modern Southern families, it’s also used playfully for earbuds or in-ear headphones-a natural handoff from jewelry to technology.
We call the earphones that go inside your ears 'earbobs' in this house. Pronunciation
Meaning & Usage
- Old use: Earrings, often decorative or dangling
Where’s my earbobs? I ain’t goin’ to church bare-eared.- Modern use: Earbuds or in-ear headphones
Ain’t talkin’ to you till I find my earbobs.Origin and Etymology
The word "earbob" appears in 19th-century Southern writing as a playful form of "ear-bauble." It became common in Appalachia and the Deep South for earrings, especially those that dangled. In some modern families, the term’s been jokingly or affectionately reused for earbuds-tiny things that hang from the ears all the same. It’s a living example of how Southern words adapt to new times without losing their roots.
Usage Notes
Still common among older Southerners for earrings, though fading elsewhere. Its modern use for earbuds is newer, spread by families who naturally extended an old familiar word to new gadgets.
- "She put on her earbobs before church." → Earrings.
- "Hold on, can’t hear ya-got my earbobs in." → Earbuds.