A “Hoosier” usually means a person from the U.S. state of Indiana, and it’s used as the state’s nickname.
Basic meaning
In standard American English, “Hoosier” is a demonym for someone who lives in or comes from Indiana, similar to “Texan” for Texas or “New Yorker” for New York. The word can also be used as an adjective for things related to Indiana, such as “Hoosier history” or “Hoosier culture.”
Origin and other uses
The exact origin of the word is unclear, but theories link it to frontier phrases like “Who’s here?” that may have evolved in pronunciation into “Hoosier,” as well as old English dialect words and riverboat slang. In some local contexts outside Indiana (for example, parts of Missouri), people sometimes use “hoosier” informally as a mild insult for someone seen as uncouth or trashy, but that meaning is regional and not the standard dictionary definition.
