Meanings
plural Johnny Rebs · alternative Johnnie Reb
- colloquialhistoricalSynonym of Confederate: a citizen of the Confederate States of America, particularly a Confederate soldier.
Synonyms: Confederate
alternative Johnnie Reb
- figurativelySynonym of Confederate States of America.
When Lincoln heard the news about the fall, All the folks thought he'd throw a great vict'ry ball, But he asked the band to play the song "Dixie" For you, Johnny Reb, and all that you believe.
1959, Johnny Horton, Johnny RebSynonyms: Confederate States of America
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of Confederate: a citizen of the Confederate States of America, particularly a Confederate soldier.
proper nounSynonym of Confederate States of America.
More synonyms by meaning
noun‘Johnny’ was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; ‘greyback’ derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From the sense of Johnny as a placeholder name for any man and reb, US slang for a Confederate citizen or soldier.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Johnny Reb. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Johnny%20Reb
“Johnny Reb.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Johnny%20Reb. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Johnny Reb,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Johnny%20Reb.
Source: Johnny Reb on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.