Who Is Classed As A 'Wool' In Liverpool? - Understanding The Scouse Slang Words 'Wool' & 'Woolyback'

In Liverpool 'Wool' Is A Popular Word Used By People To Refer To Those From The Surrounding Areas Of The City

The Beatles Statue and Royal Liver Building at Liverpool Waterfront (Credit: The Liverpudlian).

'Wool' is a tongue-in-cheek term used by some people in the City of Liverpool to refer to people from the surrounding Boroughs such as the Wirral or Sefton.

This is a term used to say that someone is not actually from the City of Liverpool itself but the surrounding areas that are not within the City Limits. For example, anyone from the rest of Merseyside or the Liverpool City Region not from the City of Liverpool could be referred to as a Wool. For example, you would say: 'He's not from Liverpool, he's a wool from the Wirral.'

'Woolyback' has a very similar to the meaning of calling someone a 'wool', as it is just the longer word for the slang term. You would call someone a 'woolyback' if you are wanting to remind them that they are not from the City of Liverpool, but rather the surrounding areas. For example, you would say: 'She's not really from Liverpool, she's a woolyback from the St Helens.'

It is worth noting that both Wool and Woolyback can be classed as insulting terms, and some people may not particularly like to be referred to as a wool depending on the way in which it is said.