noun
rube
roob
noun
1
(informal, often derogatory) An unsophisticated or naive person, especially someone from the countryside.
"The con artist figured the tourists were easy rubes to fool."
How to Use Rube
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dismissive term for someone seen as unsophisticated, gullible, or easily fooled.
When to use it
Informal and somewhat insulting — best avoided in polite or formal contexts.
Word Forms
rubes plural
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Etymology
From the personal name Rube (a nickname for Reuben), which became a generic term for a simple country person.