Piller
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "piller" is the common pronunciation of "pillow." The middle "ow" sound shifts to "er," following the same vowel pattern as words like "yeller" (yellow) and "feller" (fellow).
Hillbilly Dude Says...
If you need a place to lay you head out in the country, it'll probably be called a 'piller.' Hillbilly Dude Says...
If you need a place to lay you head out in the country, it'll probably be called a 'piller.' Pronunciation
[PIL-ler]
Meaning & Usage
- A soft cushion for resting the head (noun)
Mae:
You brung your piller?
You brung your piller?
Earl:
Course I did - can’t sleep without it.
Course I did - can’t sleep without it.variations: pillow, cushion, headrest, bed cushion, sleepin’ piller
★ "Piller" is one of the most recognizable Appalachian/Southern vowel shifts - nearly everyone from outside the region notices it right away. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Old English *pyle* (cushion). Standard English fixed on "pillow," but in Appalachian and Southern speech, the vowel slid toward "er," giving us "piller."
Usage Notes
Very common in Appalachia and the South, especially in casual family talk. Outside the region, people almost always pronounce it "pillow."
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "pill-er." The "ow" sound in "pillow" flattens or disappears.