old country

American  

noun

1. the original home country of an immigrant or a person's ancestors, especially a European country.

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old country British  

noun

1. the country of origin of an immigrant or an immigrant's ancestors

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Other Word Forms

• old-country adjective

Etymology

Origin of old country

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

That's not to say there isn't still a huge amount of goodwill towards everyone from the "old country".

From BBC

I have an array of friends who learned later in life that their uncles were really their fathers, that Grandma had a whole other family back in the old country.

From Salon

The players were immigrants or the sons of immigrants, playing a game that was considered a national pastime in the old country but little more than a waste of time in the new one.

From Los Angeles Times

The bulk of Maniscalco’s most recognizable bits revolve around stories about his hairdresser father, Salvo, whose no-nonsense immigrant wisdom is exported from the old country.

From Los Angeles Times

Down an old country road, off a winding gravel trail, I found the little swamp marsh that will someday be devoured by the rising sea.

From Salon