Forms: 6 bunkin, 7–8 bumkin, (7 bumking), 7– bumpkin. [The curious gloss in the first quot. suggests that bunkin (presumably the same word) was a humorous appellation for a Dutchman, and meant a man with short stumpy figure. The word may be a. Du. boomken ‘little tree’ (Hexham); cf. BUMKIN sb.1 It may however be ad. MDu. bommekijn ‘little barrel,’ or f. BUM sb.1 + -KIN.]
1. An awkward country fellow, a clown.
1570. Levins, Manip., 133. A Bunkin, felow, Batavus, strigo.
1658. Ld. Windsor, in Hatton Corresp. (1878), 15. That I may not looke more lyke a bunking than the rest.
1713. Steele, in Englishman, No. 40. 258. A Northamptonshire Bumpkin would disdain to gather in such a Crop.
1774. Chesterf., Lett., I. No. 44. 141. A country bumpkin is ashamed when he comes into good company.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., II. 357. The more bashful country bumpkins hung sheepishly back.
1862. A. K. H. Boyd, Commpl. Philosopher, 368–9. Let him avoid roundabout sentences; they are much more puzzling to the dull brain of a country bumpkin than are mere big words.
2. ? Some kind of dance.
1823. Lockhart, Reg. Dalton, I. xii. (1842), 74. I danced a bumpkin with the boy.
Hence Bumpkinet, a little bumpkin. Bumpkinish, Bumpkinly adjs., like a bumpkin, clownish, rustic. Bumpkinship (humorous), the personality of a bumpkin.
1774. J. Langhorne, Country Justice, 122. Shall Bumpkin come, and bumpkinets be born!
1881. Times, 12 Jan., 4/1. She [Peggy] was a little vulgar, country bumpkinet.
1778. Miss Burney, Evelina (1794), I. 73. I had been brought up in the country, which … had given me a very bumpkinish air.
1861. Court Life Naples, I. 140–1. Our heroine … had the bumpkinish taste to love every person and thing connected with that home.
1697. Vanbrugh, Relapse, IV. v. A pax of these bumkinly people!
1823. Scott, Peveril (1831), II. 265. A bumpkinly, clod-compelling sort of look.
1872. Miss Braddon, R. Ainsleigh, I. xiii. 223. A man of the world … to be ousted and cheated by your bumpkinship.
