coun·try

(kŭn′trē)

n. pl. coun·tries

a. A nation or state.

b. The territory of a nation or state; land.

c. The people of a nation or state; populace: The whole country will profit from the new economic reforms.

2. The land of a person's birth or citizenship: Foreign travel is restricted in his country.

3. A region, territory, or large tract of land distinguishable by features of topography, biology, or culture: hill country; Bible country.

4. An area or expanse outside cities and towns; a rural area: a vacation in the country.

5. Law

a. The people of a district who are eligible for jury service.

b. A jury.

6. Informal Country music.

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or typical of the country: a country road; country cooking.

2. Of or relating to country music.

Idiom:

in country

In Vietnam during the period of US military operations there: "He'd been in country a month longer than the other four" (Nelson DeMille).

[Middle English countre, from Old French contree, from Vulgar Latin *(terra) contrāta, (land) opposite, before, from Latin contrā, opposite; see kom in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

country

(ˈkʌntrɪ)

n, pl -tries

1. (Human Geography) a territory distinguished by its people, culture, language, geography, etc

2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) an area of land distinguished by its political autonomy; state

3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the people of a territory or state: the whole country rebelled.

4. an area associated with a particular person: Burns country.

5. (Human Geography)

a. the part of the land that is away from cities or industrial areas; rural districts

b. (as modifier): country cottage.

c. (in combination): a countryman.

6. (Music, other) short for country music

7. archaic a particular locality or district

8. up country away from the coast or the capital

9. (Anthropology & Ethnology) one's native land or nation of citizenship

10. (General Sporting Terms) the country informal Brit the outlying area or area furthest from the finish of a sports ground or racecourse

11. (modifier) rough; uncouth; rustic: country manners.

12. across country not keeping to roads, etc

13. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) go to the country appeal to the country chiefly Brit to dissolve Parliament and hold an election

14. unknown country an unfamiliar topic, place, matter, etc

[C13: from Old French contrée, from Medieval Latin contrāta, literally: that which lies opposite, from Latin contrā opposite]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

coun•try

(ˈkʌn tri)

n., pl. -tries,
adj. n.

1. a state or nation: European countries.

2. the territory of a nation.

3. the people of a district, state, or nation.

4. the land of one's birth or citizenship.

5. rural districts, as opposed to cities or towns.

6. any considerable territory demarcated by topographical conditions, by a distinctive population, etc.

7. the public at large, as represented by a jury.

8. country music.

adj.

9. of, from, or characteristic of the country; rural.

10. rude; unpolished; rustic: country manners.

11. of, from, or pertaining to a particular country.

12. Obs. of one's own country.

[1200–50; Middle English cuntree < Anglo-French, Old French < Vulgar Latin *(regiō) contrāta terrain opposite the viewer]

country

emancipate - Means "to free from legal, political, social control or restraint by others," and "to free from bondage." The word's Latin elements are manus, "hand," and capere, "to take," and first meant "to release or set free."
assassin - Thought by some to derive from an Arabic word meaning "hashish user," as members of an Islamic sect in various countries during the time of the Crusades (13th century) ate hashish to intoxicate themselves before setting out to assasinate enemy leaders.
patriot - Greek pater, "father," led to Latin patriota, "fellow countryman," which was the original meaning of patriot when it came into English in the late 1500s.
country, nation - Both came into English c. 1330 and tend to be used interchangeably. Country comes from Latin contrata (terra), "the landscape in front of one, the landscape lying opposite to the view." Nation is from Latin nation-/natio, "race, class of person."

country

1. 'country'

A country is one of the political areas that the world is divided into.

Indonesia is the fifth most populous country in the world.

Does this system apply in other European countries?

2. 'the country'

Land that is away from towns and cities is the country.

We live in the country.

Many people moved away from the country to the towns.

Be Careful!
When you use country like this, the only determiner you can use with it is the. Don't say, for example, 'I like living in Paris, but my parents prefer to live in a country'. You say 'I like living in Paris, but my parents prefer to live in the country'.

3. 'countryside'

Land that is away from towns and cities can also be called the countryside.

I've always wanted to live in the countryside.

Countryside can be used without 'the' when it is used after an adjective.

We are surrounded by beautiful countryside.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	country - a politically organized body of people under a single government; "the state has elected a new president"; "African nations"; "students who had come to the nation's capitol"; "the country's largest manufacturer"; "an industrialized land" body politic, nation, res publica, commonwealth, state, land commonwealth country - any of the countries in the British Commonwealth developing country - a country that is poor and whose citizens are mostly agricultural workers but that wants to become more advanced socially and economically Dominion - one of the self-governing nations in the British Commonwealth estate of the realm, the three estates, estate - a major social class or order of persons regarded collectively as part of the body politic of the country (especially in the United Kingdom) and formerly possessing distinct political rights foreign country - any state of which one is not a citizen; "working in a foreign country takes a bit of getting used to" Reich - the German state renegade state, rogue nation, rogue state - a state that does not respect other states in its international actions suzerain - a state exercising a degree of dominion over a dependent state especially in its foreign affairs sea power - a nation that possesses formidable naval strength great power, major power, superpower, world power, power - a state powerful enough to influence events throughout the world city state, city-state - a state consisting of a sovereign city ally - a friendly nation political entity, political unit - a unit with political responsibilities
	2.	country - the territory occupied by a nation; "he returned to the land of his birth"; "he visited several European countries" land, state administrative district, administrative division, territorial division - a district defined for administrative purposes banana republic - a small country (especially in Central America) that is politically unstable and whose economy is dominated by foreign companies and depends on one export (such as bananas) country of origin, fatherland, homeland, mother country, motherland, native land - the country where you were born buffer country, buffer state - a small neutral state between two rival powers department - the territorial and administrative division of some countries (such as France) demesne, domain, land - territory over which rule or control is exercised; "his domain extended into Europe"; "he made it the law of the land" midland - the interior part of a country kingdom - a country with a king as head of state province, state - the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation; "his state is in the deep south" tax haven - a country or independent region where taxes are low European country, European nation - any one of the countries occupying the European continent African country, African nation - any one of the countries occupying the African continent Asian country, Asian nation - any one of the nations occupying the Asian continent South American country, South American nation - any one of the countries occupying the South American continent North American country, North American nation - any country on the North American continent sultanate - country or territory ruled by a sultan
	3.	country - the people who live in a nation or country; "a statement that sums up the nation's mood"; "the news was announced to the nation"; "the whole country worshipped him" nation, land people - (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively; "old people"; "there were at least 200 people in the audience" national, subject - a person who owes allegiance to that nation; "a monarch has a duty to his subjects" Dutch, Dutch people - the people of the Netherlands; "the Dutch are famous for their tulips" British, British people, Brits - the people of Great Britain English people, English - the people of England Irish, Irish people - people of Ireland or of Irish extraction French people, French - the people of France Spanish people, Spanish - the people of Spain Swiss, Swiss people - the natives or inhabitants of Switzerland
	4.	country - an area outside of cities and towns; "his poetry celebrated the slower pace of life in the country" rural area back country, backwoods, boondocks, hinterland - a remote and undeveloped area farming area, farmland - a rural area where farming is practiced geographic area, geographic region, geographical area, geographical region - a demarcated area of the Earth grazing land, ley, pasture, pastureland, lea - a field covered with grass or herbage and suitable for grazing by livestock countryside - rural regions scrubland - an uncultivated region covered with scrub vegetation weald - an area of open or forested country wold - a tract of open rolling country (especially upland)
	5.	country - a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography); "it was a mountainous area"; "Bible country" area arena - the central area of an ancient Roman amphitheater where contests and spectacles were held; especially an area that was strewn with sand high country - an area lying above the piedmont but below the timberline bed ground, bedground, bed-ground - an area on which a drove of cattle or sheep can sleep for a night broadcast area - the area over which a radio or tv transmission can be received center, middle, centre, eye, heart - an area that is approximately central within some larger region; "it is in the center of town"; "they ran forward into the heart of the struggle"; "they were in the eye of the storm" corner - a place off to the side of an area; "he tripled to the rightfield corner"; "the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean" corner - a remote area; "in many corners of the world they still practice slavery" disaster area - a region whose population is affected by a general disaster hangout, haunt, stamping ground, resort, repair - a frequently visited place fireside, hearth - an area near a fireplace (usually paved and extending out into a room); "they sat on the hearth and warmed themselves before the fire" hunting ground - an area in which game is hunted no-go area - an area that is dangerous or impossible to enter or to which entry is forbidden no man's land - an unoccupied area between the front lines of opposing armies quadrant - the area enclosed by two perpendicular radii of a circle quadrant - any of the four areas into which a plane is divided by two orthogonal coordinate axes rain shadow - an area that has little precipitation because some barrier causes the winds to lose their moisture before reaching it region - a large indefinite location on the surface of the Earth; "penguins inhabit the polar regions" staging area - an area where troops and equipment in transit are assembled before a military operation open, clear - a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water; "finally broke out of the forest into the open" free port, free zone - an area adjoining a port where goods that are intended for reshipment can be received and stored without payment of duties anchorage ground, anchorage - place for vessels to anchor playground, resort area, vacation spot - an area where many people go for recreation city block, block - a rectangular area in a city surrounded by streets and usually containing several buildings; "he lives in the next block" neighborhood - an area within a city or town that has some distinctive features (especially one forming a community); "an ethnic neighborhood" retreat - a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet refuge, safety - a safe place; "He ran to safety" danger - a dangerous place; "He moved out of danger" scene - the place where some action occurs; "the police returned to the scene of the crime" section - a distinct region or subdivision of a territorial or political area or community or group of people; "no section of the nation is more ardent than the South"; "there are three synagogues in the Jewish section" shrubbery - an area where a number of shrubs are planted space - an area reserved for some particular purpose; "the laboratory's floor space" tank farm - an area used exclusively for storing petroleum in large tanks winner's circle - a small area at a racecourse where awards are given to the owners of winning horses

country

noun

1. nation, state, land, commonwealth, kingdom, realm, sovereign state, people the disputed boundary between the two countries

2. people, community, nation, society, citizens, voters, inhabitants, grass roots, electors, populace, citizenry, public Seventy per cent of this country is opposed to blood sports.

3. countryside, rural areas, provinces, outdoors, sticks (informal), farmland, outback (Austral. & N.Z.), the middle of nowhere, green belt, wide open spaces (informal), backwoods, back country (U.S.), the back of beyond, bush (N.Z. & S. African), backlands (U.S.), boondocks (U.S. slang) They live somewhere way out in the country.
countryside city, town, metropolis

4. territory, part, land, region, terrain This is some of the best walking country in the district.

5. native land, nationality, homeland, motherland, fatherland, patria (Latin) I am willing to serve my country.

adjective

1. rural, pastoral, rustic, agrarian, bucolic, Arcadian I want to live a simple country life.
rural city, urban, sophisticated, cosmopolitan, urbane

Related words
adjectives campestral, pastoral, rural

Countries

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belau, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina-Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo (Republic of), Congo (Democratic Republic of), Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kirghizia, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, People's Republic of China, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Maldives, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wales, Yemen, Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), Zambia, Zimbabwe

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

country

noun

1. An organized geopolitical unit:

body politic, land, nation, polity, state.

2. A particular area used for or associated with a specific individual or activity:

district, region, terrain, territory.

Slang: turf.

3. A rural area:

countryside, God's country.

adjective

Of or relating to the countryside:

arcadian, bucolic, campestral, pastoral, provincial, rural, rustic.

Informal: hick.

Translations

بَلَدبَلَـد، قُطـرريفرِيفشَعْب، سُكّان

родинаселострана

país

venkovzeměkraj

landland-landetlandets befolkningområde

Land Landschaft Region Staat Vaterland

χώρα εξοχή ύπαιθρος

lando

país campo nación campaña campesino

kantrimaariik

روستا

maamaaseutuvaltiomaalainenmaalais-

campagne pays région contrée

כפר

देशराष्ट्र

selozemljadržavanacija

országvidékvidéki

pais

bangsadesanegara

landland, svæîilandsmennsveit

campagna paese patria regione terreno

国田舎国家カントリー

나라국가

paguspatriarusterra

kaimaskaimo vietovėkontradansasšalies gyventojaišalis

apvidusiedzīvotājilaukilauku-tauta

land platteland

land landsbygd landsens lende terreng

kraj wieś

campo país nação

naţiuneruralţaraţară

страна страны деревня сельская местность

dedinakrajinavidiek

deželadržavapodeželje

cs=Cyrldedinjedržavaĸpajинakrajina

landlandetlandsbygd

mashambashamba

ชนบทประเทศ

ülke taşra eyalet halk kır

батьківщинакраїнасело

đất nướcnướcquê hươngquốc giatỉnn

国家国民地区乡村农村

country

[ˈkʌntrɪ]

A. N

1. (= nation) → país m; (= people) → pueblo m
to go to the country (Brit) (Pol) → convocar a elecciones generales

2. (= fatherland) → patria f
to die for one's country → morir por la patria
love of country → amor a la patria

3. (no pl) (= countryside) → campo m
we had to leave the road and go across country → tuvimos que dejar la carretera e ir a través del campo
in the country → en el campo
to live off the country → vivir de lo que produce la tierra

4. (no pl) (= terrain, land) → terreno m, tierra f
this is good fishing country → ésta es buena tierra para la pesca
unknown country (also fig) → terreno desconocido
mountainous country → región f montañosa
there is some lovely country further south → más al sur el paisaje es muy bonito

B. CPD country and western (music) N → música f country, música f ranchera (Mex)
country bumpkin N (pej) → patán m, paleto/a m/f
country club N → club m campestre
country cottage N → casita f (en el campo)
country cousin N (fig) → pueblerino/a m/f
country dance N → baile m regional
country dancing N → danza f folklórica
country dweller N → persona f que vive en el campo
country folk NPL → gente f del campo
country gentleman N → hacendado m
country house N → casa f de campo, quinta f; (= farm) → finca f (esp LAm), rancho m (Mex)
country life N → vida f campestre or del campo
country mile N to miss sth by a country mile (US) → quedarse a una legua de algo
country music N = country and western (music) country park N → parque m
country people NPL = country folk country road N → camino m vecinal
country seat N → casa f solariega, hacienda f (LAm)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

country

[ˈkʌntri]

(= state) → pays m
the border between the two countries → la frontière entre les deux pays
this country (= Britain) → ce pays
to go to the country (British) (= call an election) → appeler le pays aux urnes
to travel across country (across the whole the country) → traverser le pays

(= native land) → patrie f

(as opposed to town) → campagne f
in the country → à la campagne
I live in the country → J'habite à la campagne.
to travel across country (avoiding towns) → emprunter les routes de campagne

(= region) → région f, pays m
mountainous country → pays de montagne, région montagneuse

modif [area] → de campagne; [pub] → dans la campagnecountry-and-western [ˌkʌntriəndˈwɛstə^rn]

n (= music) → musique f country

modif [band, music, singer] → countrycountry club n → club m de loisirs (à la campagne)country dance n → danse f folkloriquecountry dancing n (British) → danse f folkloriquecountry house n (British) → manoir mcountry lane n → chemin m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

country

(= state) → Land nt; (= people also) → Volk nt; his own country → seine Heimat; to die for one’s country → für sein Land sterben; to go to the country → Neuwahlen ausschreiben

no pl (as opposed to town) → Land nt; (= scenery, countryside also) → Landschaft f; in/to the country → auf dem/aufs Land; the surrounding country → das umliegende Land, die Umgebung; this is good hunting/fishing country → das ist eine gute Jagd-/Fischgegend; this is mining country → dies ist ein Bergbaugebiet; we’re back in familiar country again (fig) → wir befinden uns wieder auf vertrautem Boden

country

in cpds → Land-;

country and western

n → Country-und-Western-Musik f

country-and-western

adj → Country- und Western-

country-born

adj → auf dem Land geboren

country-bred

adj → auf dem Land aufgewachsen; animals → auf dem Land gezogen

country bumpkin

n (pej) → Bauerntölpel (inf), → Bauer (pej inf) m; (= girl) → Bauerntrampel nt (inf)

country club

n Klub auf dem Lande

country code

(= telephone prefix) → Landeskennzahl f, → internationale Vorwahl

(Brit: = set of rules) → Verhaltenskodex m → für Besucher auf dem Lande

country cousin

n → Vetter m → /Base f → vom Lande

country dance

n → Volkstanz m

country dancing

n → Volkstanz m; to go country → zum Volkstanz gehen

country dweller

n → Landbewohner(in) m(f)

country folk

pl → Leute pl → vom Lande

country gentleman

n → Landbesitzer m

country gentry

pl → Landadel m

country house

n → Landhaus nt

country life

n → das Landleben, das Leben auf dem Lande

countryman

(= compatriot) → Landsmann m; his fellow countrymen → seine Landsleute

(= country dweller) → Landmann m

country mile

n (US inf) to miss something by a country → etw um Längen verpassen

country music

n → Countrymusik f

country people

pl → Leute pl → vom Land(e)

country road

n → Landstraße f

country seat

n → Landsitz m

countryside

n (= scenery) → Landschaft f, → Gegend f; (= rural area) → Land nt; it’s beautiful country → das ist eine herrliche Landschaft or Gegend; to live in the middle of the country → mitten auf dem Land leben

Countryside Commission

n (Brit) → Kommission f → zum Schutz ländlicher Gebiete

country town

n → Kleinstadt f

country-wide

adj → landesweit, im ganzen Land

countrywoman

(= compatriot) → Landsmännin f

(= country dweller) → Landfrau f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

country

[ˈkʌntrɪ]

1. n

a. (gen) → paese m; (native land) → patria
to go to the country (Pol) → indire le elezioni
to die for one's country → morire per la patria

b. (as opposed to town) → campagna; (terrain, land) → territorio; (region) → regione f
in the country → in campagna
there is some lovely country further south → ci sono delle campagne bellissime più a sud
mountainous country → territorio montagnoso
unknown country (also) (fig) → terra sconosciuta

2. adj (life, road) → di campagna

country

(ˈkantri) – plural ˈcountries – noun

1. any of the nations of the world; the land occupied by a nation. Canada is a larger country than Spain.

2. the people of a country. The whole country is in agreement with your views.

3. (usually with the) districts where there are fields, moors etc as opposed to towns and areas with many buildings. a quiet holiday in the country; (also adjective) country districts.

4. an area or stretch of land. hilly country.

country dance

a (style of) dance in which partners are arranged in parallel lines.

ˈcountryman – feminine ˈcountrywoman – noun

a person born in the same country as another. Churchill and Chamberlain were fellow countrymen.

ˈcountryside noun

country areas. the English countryside.

country

→ بَلَد, رِيف venkov, země land, landet Land ύπαιθρος, χώρα campo, país maa, maaseutu campagne, pays selo, zemlja campagna, nazione 国, 田舎 나라 land, platteland land, landsbygd kraj, wieś campo, país сельская местность, страна land, landet ชนบท, ประเทศ taşra, ülke đất nước, nước 农村, 国家

country

n (rural area) campo