countryman

[kuhn-tree-muhn]

noun

plural

countrymen 

1. a native or inhabitant of one's own country.

   Synonyms: landsman, compatriot
   Antonyms: foreigner

2. a native or inhabitant of a particular region.

3. a person who lives in the country.

   Synonyms: peasant, farmer, rustic

4. an unsophisticated person, as one who lives in or comes from a rural area; rustic.

countryman

/ ˈkʌntrɪmən /

noun

1. a person who lives in the country

2. a person from a particular country or from one's own country (esp in the phrase fellow countryman )

Gender Note

Is countryman gender-neutral? See -man.

Other Word Forms

• countrywoman noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of countryman¹

First recorded in 1275–1325, countryman is from Middle English contre man. See country, man

Example Sentences

He saw inmates as his countrymen, and his faith taught him that nobody was beyond salvation; there was good in everyone.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

His first response to his countrymen today has been to publicly emphasise that he did not, in fact, agree to a Palestinian state.

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Emery believes the transition will be smooth with his fellow Basque countryman Olabe as they were able to replace Monchi quickly.

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Kim, who wanted to reunify the two Koreas, rallied his countrymen by claiming that the South had initiated the 1950 attack.

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He immediately called Minguela, whose cell number is saved in his phone under “paisa,” countryman.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• compatriot