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country

n. · adj.
US //ˈkəntɹi// UK //kˈʌntɹi// coun·try
  1. 1 a nation (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    a nation or state with its own government and land.

    the territory of a sovereign state or a nation with distinct political and social institutions.

    Example

    How many countries have you visited in Europe?

    Example

    The treaty was signed by over fifty countries, each pledging to reduce carbon emissions over the next decade.
  2. 2 rural areas (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    land that is away from big towns and cities, often with farms and fields.

    rural areas or the countryside, typically contrasted with urban or industrial environments.

    Example

    We love to spend our weekends walking in the country.

    Example

    After years of living in a cramped city apartment, they decided to move to the country for a quieter pace of life.
    Pitfall
    I live in country.
    I live in the country.

    When referring to the countryside, you must use the definite article 'the'.

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  1. 3 music style (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Music

    a style of popular music that comes from the rural southern US.

    a genre of popular music originating in the rural southern United States, typically featuring acoustic guitars and fiddles.

    Example

    She listens to country whenever she goes for a long drive.

    Example

    The festival features a mix of traditional country and modern folk, attracting fans from across the state.
    • country and western
  2. 4 Indigenous lands (n.)
    C1 Advanced Dialect

    the traditional lands of Indigenous people, including the nature and spirits there.

    traditional lands of Indigenous people, particularly in Australia, encompassing cultural, spiritual, and ecological values.

    Example

    The elders spoke about the importance of caring for Country.

    Example

    The project was developed in close consultation with the local community to ensure the protection of sacred sites on Country.

    Usage

    Often capitalized as 'Country' in this specific sense.
    • ancestral lands
  3. 5 mining rock (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    the rock that surrounds a vein of metal or coal.

    the rock through which a vein of ore or coal runs; also known as country rock.

    Example

    The miners had to drill through the hard country to reach the gold.

    Example

    Geologists analyzed the interface between the quartz vein and the surrounding country to determine the age of the deposit.
    • host rock
  4. 6 rural or rustic (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    related to the countryside or a simple, rural way of life.

    pertaining to or characteristic of the countryside or rural life.

    Example

    The hotel had a lovely country feel with its wooden furniture and fireplace.

    Example

    The menu features traditional country cooking, using ingredients sourced directly from nearby family farms.
Origin

From Middle English contre, contree, contreie, from Old French contree, cuntrede, from Vulgar Latin *(terra) contrata (“(land) lying opposite; (land) spread before one”) (also in Medieval Latin as "country, region"), from Latin contrā (“against, opposite”) (whence contra-). Cognate with Scots kintra. Unrelated to county. Displaced native English land in some of its senses. From around 1300 as "area surrounding a walled city or town; the open country." By early 16th century the sense was applied mostly to rural areas, as opposed to towns and cities. Compare typologically Russian страна́ (straná), сторона́ (storoná).

Word family
Idioms2 entries

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