old country
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of old country
First recorded in 1775–85
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.
Growing up, Jane Ziegelman often heard stories about the old country from family members gathered at her grandmother’s home in Queens, N.Y.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
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 ● Oct. 15, 2024
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 ● Aug. 8, 2024
“I take it back to the old country boy saying that you can’t put 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5-pound sack,” Nelson said.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 15, 2024
A blurp of an old country and western song thrilled everyone for a moment.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
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.
