country

American  

[kuhn-tree] / ˈkʌn tri /

noun

• countries
  plural

1. a state or nation.

   What European countries have you visited?

2. the territory of a nation.

   The country is about 150 miles long.

3. the people of a district, state, or nation.

   The whole country backed the president in his decision.

4. the land of one's birth or citizenship.

   Do I need to return to my country to apply for a student visa?

5. the country, rural districts, including farmland, parkland, and other sparsely populated areas, as opposed to cities or towns.

   Many city dwellers like to spend their vacations in the country.

6. any considerable territory demarcated by topographical conditions, by a distinctive population, etc..

   The mountainous country around here is beautiful.

   The book takes place in the Amish country of Pennsylvania.

7. land considered apart from any geographical or political limits.

   This urban population is packed into a relatively small patch of country.

8. Law. the public at large, as represented by a jury.

9. country music.

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adjective

1. of, from, or characteristic of the country; rural.

   They lived on a winding country road.

2. of, relating to, or associated with country music.

   That Nashville station plays country records all day long.

3. rude; unpolished; rustic.

   He was scorned for his country manners.

4. of, from, or relating to a particular nation or area; national.

   Each team will display their country flag during the opening ceremony.

5. Obsolete. of one's own country.

idioms

1. go to the country, to dissolve a Parliament and call for an election after members have cast a majority vote expressing a lack of confidence in the prime minister and cabinet. Also appeal to the country.

2. put oneself upon the / one's country, to present one's cause formally before a jury.

country British  

/ ˈkʌntrɪ /

noun

1. a territory distinguished by its people, culture, language, geography, etc

2. an area of land distinguished by its political autonomy; state

3. the people of a territory or state

   the whole country rebelled

4. an area associated with a particular person

   Burns country

5. 1. the part of the land that is away from cities or industrial areas; rural districts

   2. ( as modifier )

      country cottage

   3. ( in combination )

      a countryman

6. short for country music

7. archaic a particular locality or district

8. away from the coast or the capital

9. one's native land or nation of citizenship

10. informal the outlying area or area furthest from the finish of a sports ground or racecourse

11. (modifier) rough; uncouth; rustic

    country manners

12. not keeping to roads, etc

13. to dissolve Parliament and hold an election

14. an unfamiliar topic, place, matter, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intercountry
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• countries
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of country

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English cuntree from Anglo-French, Old French from unrecorded Vulgar Latin (regiō) contrāta “(area) opposite,” from Latin contr(ā) counter ³ + -āta (feminine of -ātus -ate ¹ ); compare German Gegend “region,” derivative of gegen against

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Explanation

A country is a nation, a body of land with one government. Also, rural areas outside cities and towns are called the country. There are many countries in the world: places that have a central government and a common identity. America was once just a bunch of colonies of England. It wasn't until they fought for independence from England that America became a country. Also, "the country" is any place that's away from cities and rural: the country has farms and open spaces. Country life is quieter than city life — except for the early morning roosters.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

country countries

The U.S. has avoided sanctioning other Chinese banks for Iran ties, despite concerns that several were involved in transactions with the country, former U.S. officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

Before becoming Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost served for nearly two decades in the Andean country, including as bishop, and he holds Peruvian citizenship.

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026

As of last year, the country had geothermal power plants in seven states, according to the U.S.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026

As voters cast ballots Tuesday, the Justice Department’s election monitors fanned out at polling sites across the country.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

You’ve been up Kindcreek Road before; it cuts through a wild patch of hill country, flanked by fruiting prickly pears and disheveled oak.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Post-production in Southern California has been reeling from an unprecedented industry contraction, partly due to the flight of filming to other states and countries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

One estimate made by a consulting firm for the University of the West Indies said the U.K. owed $24 trillion in damages to a group of 14 Caribbean countries for slavery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

While officially there is no link between them, authorities from various countries will be co-operating to assess whether this was a co-ordinated attack, designed to disrupt airspace.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Belgium was among the hardest-hit countries, with dozens of stores across several grocery chains reporting refrigeration failures.

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026

Germans were embittered by the way so many German speakers were placed under the rule of other countries.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

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