In Southern and Appalachian speech, the "back forty" means the far part of a farm or property, usually the rougher or less-tended land. It comes from the old 40-acre sections in homestead farms and is used figuratively for anywhere out back or remote.
I've heard 'back forty' all my life - but it's more of an old timers thing nowadays.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I've heard 'back forty' all my life - but it's more of an old timers thing nowadays.
Pronunciation
[BAK FOR-dee]
Meaning & Usage
- The far part of a farm or property (noun phrase)
On the tractor
Mae:
Where’s he workin’ today?
Earl:
Out on the back forty.
- Any far-off or out-of-the-way place (figurative, noun phrase)
Directions
Mae:
How far is it?
Earl:
Way out on the back forty - nearabout the middle of nowhere.
★ The phrase doesn’t always mean exactly 40 acres - it’s just a country way of talking about land that’s far off and harder to work. ★
Origin and Etymology
The term comes from the Homestead Act of 1862, when farms were often divided into 40-acre sections. The "back forty" was the farthest piece, usually rougher or less fertile. Southern and Appalachian farmers carried the term into everyday talk.
Usage Notes
Still heard in Southern and Appalachian farm talk, though also used in the Midwest and Plains. Outside rural America, it’s often just a colorful phrase meaning "out back" or "far away."
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "back for-dee." Quick and clipped, sometimes "back fohty."
Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...
I've heard 'back forty' all my life - but it's more of an old timers thing nowadays. 
