Rube
/ruːb/noun
A country bumpkin; an unsophisticated or naive person.
Did you know?The word became popular in American English through the late 19th-century stage stereotype of the naive rural outsider, especially in comedy and vaudeville.
Etymological Timeline
Late 19th Century
English
rube
“An American slang term for a rural, unsophisticated person.”
Late 19th Century
English
Reuben
“A common given name used in stage and slang contexts as a generic rustic character name.”
Hebrew Bible
Hebrew
rəʾūḇēn
“Reuben, the name of Jacob’s first son.”
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
rāʾāh ben
“"See, a son!" — the traditional explanation of the name Reuben.”