ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rural

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈɹʊɹəɫ// UK //ɹˈɔːɹəl// ru·ral Archaic General-service

adj. connected to the countryside rather than the city. You use this to describe places with lots of nature, farms, and few people.

adj. relating to, or characteristic of the countryside rather than a town or city. Frequently contrasted with 'urban' or 'suburban'.


SIMPLE

They live in a quiet rural area.

CONTEXTUAL

The government is investing in better internet access for rural communities to help local farmers sell their goods online.

COMPLEX

While urban centers offer immediate access to diverse amenities, rural life often provides a sense of tranquility and a closer connection to the natural cycles of the seasons.

Antonyms
Origin

From Old French rural, from Latin rūrālis (“rural”), from rūs (“countryside”) + -ālis.

Usage

Typically placed before the noun it modifies; non-gradable in its literal sense, though 'more rural' is sometimes used to describe relative isolation.

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