old country

noun

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

old country

noun

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

Other Word Forms

• old-country adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of old country¹

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

“We don’t eat in an old country store for woke burgers,” one commenter wrote.

From Salon

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