rural

[ roor-uhl ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the country, country life, or country people; rustic:

   agricultural fairs and festivals throughout the rural towns of Georgia.

   Synonyms: rough, unsophisticated

   Antonyms: urban

2. living in the country:

   the rural population.

3. of or relating to agriculture:

   rural economy.

noun

1. a person who lives in a rural area.

rural

/ ˈrʊərəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the country or country life
2. living in or accustomed to the country
3. of, relating to, or associated with farming

Derived Forms

• ˈruralist, noun
• ˈrurally, adverb
• ˈruralism, noun
• ruˈrality, noun

Other Words From

• ru·ral·ism noun
• ru·ral·ist ru·ral·ite noun
• ru·ral·ly adverb
• ru·ral·ness noun
• non·ru·ral adjective
• non·ru·ral·ly adverb
• qua·si-ru·ral adjective
• qua·si-ru·ral·ly adverb
• sem·i·ru·ral adjective
• sem·i·ru·ral·ly adverb
• sem·i·ru·ral·ism noun
• un·ru·ral adjective
• un·ru·ral·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of rural¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin rūrālis, equivalent to rūr- (stem of rūs ) “the country, rural land” (akin to room ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of rural¹

C15: via Old French from Latin rūrālis , from rūs the country

Synonym Study

Rural and rustic are terms that refer to the country. Rural is the official term: rural education. It may be used subjectively, and usually in a favorable sense: the charm of rural life. Rustic, however, may have either favorable or unfavorable connotations. In a derogatory sense, it means provincial, boorish, or crude; in a favorable sense, it may suggest ruggedness or a homelike rural charm: rustic simplicity.

Example Sentences

The DFC confirmed a $5 million equity investment in Copia Global, a Kenya-based e-commerce and logistics startup that focuses on under-served consumers in rural areas.

From Quartz

The true total is likely higher, as the country’s testing capacities are limited, especially in rural areas.

From Quartz

Yadav moved from his rural home in the eastern state of Bihar a decade ago in search of a job that would allow him to send his two kids to school.

From Quartz

And, two rural customers – Fallbrook and Rainbow – are in the process of leaving the Water Authority because they’re fed up with its rising rates.

From Voice of San Diego

Eastern Washington is largely rural and conservative, but state politics are dominated by the urbanized coastal region.

From Ars Technica

These are young fathers, rural farmers, usually growing banana or coffee or subsistence crops.

From The Daily Beast

For the first time in American history, rural America has been losing population.

From The Daily Beast

She is also head of the Sabancı Foundation, which conducts female-empowerment programs for women in rural Turkey.

From The Daily Beast

Rural churches were deserted, and the connection between the land and the bounty of harvests was gone.

From The Daily Beast

“In almost all rural areas of Switzerland, it is customary to eat cats and dogs,” she says.

From The Daily Beast

There are many more good dwellings on this plain than in the rural portion of Lower Italy.

From Project Gutenberg

The hospitals in the capital were crowded with wounded soldiers, brought in at great risk from the rural districts.

From Project Gutenberg

Here again we have the landscape of Lorraine and the eternal and infinitely varied theme of rural labour.

From Project Gutenberg

This rule however does not apply to travelers walking along a rural highway.

From Project Gutenberg

Then it is sung softly like the farmhand quartettes do in the rural melodrama outside the old homestead in harvest time.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• agrarian
• agricultural
• back-country
• backwoods
• bucolic
• idyllic
• pastoral
• provincial
• rustic