Banty
In Appalachian and Southern farm life, a banty (or bantam chicken) is a small, often feisty chicken breed. Folks often call them banties or banies, especially in casual speech.
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My Dad's always called 'em 'banies,' - and you'll hear that term from old timers out in the country. And me. Which means I must be an old timer. My Dad's always called 'em 'banies,' - and you'll hear that term from old timers out in the country. And me. Which means I must be an old timer. Pronunciation
Meaning & Usage
- Bantam chicken (noun)
Don’t mess with them banties, they’ll flog you.I know - Papaw’s banies got me good last summer.Origin and Etymology
From bantam chicken, a term dating back to 17th-century European trade with Bantam (Banten) in Indonesia. The clipped form banty developed in American rural speech, especially in the South and Appalachia.
Usage Notes
Banty chickens (banies or banties) are a staple of small Southern and Appalachian farms. Their small size and fierce personalities made them easy to keep in a backyard or barn lot. Because they’re so common in the region, "banty" also works as a personality descriptor - someone called a "banty rooster" is usually small but scrappy, bold, or quick-tempered.
- Banty - singular form ("That banty rooster’ll spur you.")
- Banties / Banies - plural forms ("Papaw had twelve banies.")
- Banty rooster - often metaphor for a small but aggressive man.
- Sometimes used as an affectionate nickname for a wiry, energetic person.