ru·ral (r r  l)adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of the country. 2. Of or relating to people who live in the country: rural households. 3. Of or relating to farming; agricultural. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin r  r lis, from rs, rr-, country; see reu- in Indo-European roots.]ru ral·ly adv.Synonyms: rural, bucolic, rustic, pastoral These adjectives all mean of or typical of the country as distinguished from the city. Rural applies to sparsely settled or agricultural country: "I do love quiet, rural England" (George Meredith). Bucolic is often used pejoratively or facetiously of country people or their manners: "The keenest of bucolic minds felt a whispering awe at the sight of the gentry" (George Eliot). Rustic frequently suggests a lack of sophistication or elegance, but it may also connote artless and pleasing simplicity: "some rustic phrases which I had learned at the farmer's house" (Jonathan Swift). The hiker slept in a charming, rustic cottage. Pastoral, which evokes the image of shepherds, sheep, and verdant countryside, suggests serenity: The train passed through pastoral landscapes. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Adv. | 1. | rurally - in a rural manner |
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