Sight
In Southern and Appalachian English, "a sight" means something remarkable, impressive, or worth seeing - often used without "to behold."
synonyms: remarkable, impressive, spectacle, something to see
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Papaw leaned back after the finale and said, "Wuttin those fireworks a sight?" Around here, that means "Weren’t they something to see?" Hillbilly Dude Says...
Papaw leaned back after the finale and said, "Wuttin those fireworks a sight?" Around here, that means "Weren’t they something to see?" Pronunciation
[SUH-ITE] /saɪt/
Meaning & Usage
- Something remarkable or worth seeing (noun)
Elmer:
Wuttin those fireworks a sight?
Wuttin those fireworks a sight?
Estel:
Sure were - I ain’t seen nothin’ like it.
Sure were - I ain’t seen nothin’ like it.variations: a sight better, a sight of (meaning "a lot of")
★ "A sight" is a Southern shortcut for "a sight to behold" - you’ll also hear "a sight better" or "a sight of people" meaning "a lot better" or "a large number of people." ★
Origin and Etymology
From older English "sight" meaning "something seen." The clipped form without "to behold" survived in Southern/Appalachian speech and shows up in regional writings from the 19th century onward.
Usage Notes
- Common across Appalachia and the rural South.
- Often appears in rhetorical questions ("Wuttin that a sight?") or exclamations ("That’s a sight!").
- Can also intensify comparisons ("a sight better" = "a lot better").