hoopy

1. A slang term used in the northern Ohio Valley regarding people from the northern West Virginian panhandle as well as people who live in rural areas. 2. A derogatory term that can be used as a substitute for hillbilly or hick. origin- One possible origin of the term hoopy comes from the 19th century in the Ohio Valley during the industrial revolution. Workers created metal or steel "hoops" that they would then use to manufacture barrels. These barrels would be sold to companies for shipping products around the country. The term gained a deragatory connotation as these jobs were considered to be performed by low-skilled, low-wage workers who were either immigrants or came from the local, rural areas. Several producers were located in the northern West Virginia panhandle which had a lot of steel and lumber production at the time, thus the association with West Virginians.