/pek"euhr wood'/ , n.
1. Midland and Southern U.S. woodpecker.
2. Southern U.S. Slang ( disparaging and offensive ). See poor white .
adj.
3. Southern U.S. small or insignificant: He makes a living farming and running a peckerwood sawmill.
[ 1825-35, Amer.; PECKER + WOOD 1 ; inversion of WOODPECKER ]