Uppity
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "uppity" means acting arrogant, snobbish, or too proud. It’s a down-home way of saying somebody’s getting above themselves.
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Oh you'll hear people say, 'uppity' when it's necessary. It's common. Oh you'll hear people say, 'uppity' when it's necessary. It's common. Pronunciation
Meaning & Usage
- Arrogant or self-important (adjective)
Why won’t she talk to us?She’s feelin’ uppity since movin’ uptown.- Acting superior to others (adjective, figurative)
You think you’re too good for beans now?Don’t get all uppity on us.Origin and Etymology
The word dates to the late 1800s in American English, blending "up" with the -ity ending to mean "full of upward airs." It took strongest root in Southern speech, where it became a common adjective for someone acting above their place.
Usage Notes
"Uppity" is still used in the South and Appalachia, especially in family talk or storytelling. However, it also carries a **historic racial context** - in the Jim Crow era, whites often used it as a slur toward Black people seen as "too proud." Today, many use it without that meaning, but the history lingers, so tone and audience matter.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "up-uh-tee." Often stretched a little in Southern speech: "uhppity."