meanness
Mischief or playful troublemaking, not always real cruelty.
Also called meanus, mean-us.
Updated September 24, 2026
meanness pronunciation
/MEAN-us/
Meaning
In Appalachian and rural Southern talk, meanness often means acting up, teasing, or getting into something you shouldn't. A kid "full of meanness" might be stirring the pot more than being hateful. Tone does the work: said with a grin, it is almost a compliment for spunk. Said hard, it can still mean somebody did something ugly on purpose. Older folks sometimes call a child Meanness as a teasing nickname.
How folks use it
- “Them boys tore up the mailbox for pure meanness.”
- “Come here, Meanness, and tell me what you got into now.”
Origin and etymology
Built from mean, which in mountain speech can mean spirited or mischievous as much as cruel. Blind Pig and The Acorn and other Appalachian word notes gloss meanness as mischief. Spoken fast, the ending often sounds like "mean-us." Exact age of the nickname use is hard to pin down, but it has been common porch talk for generations.
Frequently asked questions
Does meanness always mean somebody is cruel?
No. Around here it often means mischief or a feisty streak. Listen for the smile in the voice.