Meaning
What does Clodhopper mean?
Clodhopper is a slang expression, used for various things.
In modern contexts, it is more prevalently used for a kind of shoe, that is strong and heavy.
It may also be utilized in a slightly pejorative sense, describing someone as a clumsy, rural simple person, similar to Hillybilly or Redneck.
Origin
What's the origin of Clodhopper?
“Clodhopper” comes from the 17th century, when the term “clod” was used for lumps of clay, in the same form as “clot” is used for lumps today – not to be confused with “clot” in Bumbaclot.
In the 1690’s, “Clodhopper” was used to describe someone working on plowed land, Quite Frankly, hopping over clods of clay.
Spread & Usage
How did Clodhopper spread?
The thesaurus of meanings held by “Clodhopper” expanded in the 1830’s, when the term started to see use in relation to the footwear, fieldworkers donned for labor.
It experienced a massive spike in written and slang use all across the Anglosphere, used in context of every part of rural life, until the 1870’s, when the popularity of the expression started to see a decline.
Although the phrase had seen moderate use in the 20th century, it was and is seen by most as archaic and outdated.
“Clodhopper” was first defined on Urban Dictionary on October 19th, 2003, with several other entries following in the subsequent years.