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.

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intercountry
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• countries
  plural

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

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

In 2009, the Sacramento company still held the title of third-largest newspaper publisher in the country, by circulation, after Gannett Co. and Tribune Co., then-owner of the Los Angeles Times.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

Nationwide, some 50,000 people were detained in connection to the uprising, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a U.S.-based rights group that monitors the country.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

The former Arizona Senator, who died Thursday at age 84, made the country better with his attention to policy rather than on his media profile.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

"I'm aware of the role I have as the number one player and I am representing my country, so there's always a little more responsibility," Fery told BBC Sport.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

And then we were in the country, the flat Dutch farmland stretching to the horizon, ruler-straight canals sweeping past the window.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

In 34 of 37 countries Pew surveyed, people are more likely to believe AI will lead to fewer jobs than to more jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Amnesty says femicide is criminalised as a specific crime in 33 countries, including Gabon and Morocco in Africa.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

The platform supports cross-border payments in more than 220 countries and territories through partner networks, including Ant Group’s Alipay+.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The medical and dental students the BBC has spoken to say they do not see how the relationship between the two countries should affect their ability to study.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

In 1929, the same Great Depression that affected the United States also struck Germany and other European countries.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Related Words

• community
• land
• people
• public
• region
• society
• state