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View synonyms for country

country

[kuhn-tree]

noun

plural

countries 
  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.

country

/ 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

    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

  5. short for country music

  6. archaic,  a particular locality or district

  7. away from the coast or the capital

  8. one's native land or nation of citizenship

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

  10. (modifier) rough; uncouth; rustic

    country manners

  11. not keeping to roads, etc

  12. to dissolve Parliament and hold an election

  13. an unfamiliar topic, place, matter, etc

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • intercountry adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of country1

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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Word History and Origins

Origin of country1

C13: from Old French contrée, from Medieval Latin contrāta, literally: that which lies opposite, from Latin contrā opposite
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Idioms and Phrases

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.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In an eerie echo of today, a post-pandemic president promised to restore “real” American values while the country came to blows over racial unrest, shameless disinformation activity, crumbling labor unions, income inequality and censorship.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

People from all different backgrounds; I go to other parts of the country.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Launched in 2009, Grindr is now a publicly traded company that claims more than 14 million users in 190 countries and territories.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“At a time when energy costs are going up for households across the country, you would want more supply into the grid, not less,” he said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It created a pot of funding dedicated to what it calls “patriotic education,” which has been criticized for downplaying some of the country’s most troubling episodes, including slavery.

Read more on Salon

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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countrifycountry-and-western