Jayhawker

Regional

Meaning: A Kansan; historically an anti-slavery Free-State raider.
Type: Regionalism
Used in: Kansas

What does “Jayhawker” mean

The term 'Jayhawker' dates to the Bleeding Kansas era of the 1850s, when it referred to militant anti-slavery, Free-State fighters along the Kansas-Missouri border, and later became a synonym for plundering. Today it is worn proudly as a label for any Kansan and is the namesake of the University of Kansas mascot. The word is uniquely tied to Kansas history and identity.

Where it's used

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