a state or nation: What European countries have you visited?
the territory of a nation.
the people of a district, state, or nation: The whole country backed the president in his decision.
the land of one's birth or citizenship.
rural districts, including farmland, parkland, and other sparsely populated areas, as opposed to cities or towns: Many city dwellers like to spend their vacations in the country.
any considerable territory demarcated by topographical conditions, by a distinctive population, etc.: mountainous country; the Amish country of Pennsylvania.
a tract of land considered apart from any geographical or political limits; region; district.
the public.
Law. the public at large, as represented by a jury.
country music.
adjective
of, from, or characteristic of the country; rural: a winding country road.
of, relating to, or associated with country music: That Nashville station plays country records all day long.
rude; unpolished; rustic: country manners.
of, from, or pertaining to a particular country.
Obsolete. of one's own country.
Idioms for country
go to the country, British. to dissolve a Parliament that has cast a majority vote disagreeing with the prime minister and cabinet and to call for the election of a new House of Commons.Also appeal to the country.
put oneself upon the / one's country, Law. to present one's cause formally before a jury.
Origin of country
1200–50; Middle English cuntree<Anglo-French, Old French <Vulgar Latin *(regiō) contrāta terrain opposite the viewer, equivalent to Latin contr(ā) counter3 + -āta, feminine of -ātus-ate1; compare German Gegend region, derivative of gegenagainst
OTHER WORDS FROM country
in·ter·coun·try,adjective
Words nearby country
count one's chickens before they hatch, count out, count palatine, countrified, countrify, country, country-and-western, country and western music, country blues, country-bred, country club
The Cuban government on May 8, 2019, detained this reporter for several hours at Havana’s José Martí International Airport after he tried to enter the country.
Cuban authorities threaten to arrest LGBTQ activist, journalist|Michael K. Lavers|September 17, 2020|Washington Blade
We have -- many of those countries are doing a phenomenal job.
Timeline: The 124 times Trump has downplayed the coronavirus threat|Aaron Blake, JM Rieger|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
The report says the HRC Foundation “proactively researched” the LGBTQ-related policies of more than 1,000 hospitals and health facilities across the country that did not participate in the 2020 survey.
HRC examines hospital policies, impact of COVID on LGBTQ people|Lou Chibbaro Jr.|September 16, 2020|Washington Blade
In a new poll of 13 nations released Tuesday, a median of 15 percent of respondents said the United States had handled the pandemic well, while 85 percent said the country had responded poorly.
Trump, in town hall, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently on pandemic|Colby Itkowitz, Josh Dawsey, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
In light of the pandemic, several states across the country now temporarily allow patrons to carry out cocktails to enjoy at home.
Bar Rescue: Pandemic Edition|jakemeth|September 15, 2020|Fortune
In that country at that moment, the Catholics have practically disappeared.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Elsewhere, courts throughout the country have placed limits on speech this year.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead|Luke O’Neil|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“This is a federal mandate that is causing some real problems for schools across the country,” Kline told a CBS affiliate in July.
The Republican War on Kale|Patricia Murphy|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Charles “Father” Coughlin, a raving anti-Semite, was one of the most popular radio hosts in the country.
Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America?|Emily Shire|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In fact, Mexico buys and sells more US goods than any other country on the planet except for Canada.
Why Mexicans Are Enraged by Obama’s Big Tuesday Meeting|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
There were numerous sheepfolds and two cattle pens, but the rest of the country round was quite open.
Taking Tales|W.H.G. Kingston
The country for five to ten miles to the east of our track appeared open and grassy, basalt being the prevailing rock.
Journals of Australian Explorations|A C and F T Gregory
The country abounds in reptiles, and the prevalent fishes are of the early kinds, having a cartilaginous structure.
Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation|Robert Chambers
It placed a little capital at his disposal, and capital is the one thing needed to make a fair start in anything in this country.
Rogues and Vagabonds|George R. Sims
He has also pointed out another index to insect climates, borrowed from the Flora of a country.
An Introduction to Entomology: Vol. IV (of 4)|William Kirby
British Dictionary definitions for country
country
/ (ˈkʌntrɪ) /
nounplural-tries
a territory distinguished by its people, culture, language, geography, etc
an area of land distinguished by its political autonomy; state
the people of a territory or statethe whole country rebelled
an area associated with a particular personBurns country
the part of the land that is away from cities or industrial areas; rural districts
(as modifier)country cottage
(in combination)a countryman
Related adjective: pastoral, rural
short for country music
archaica particular locality or district
up countryaway from the coast or the capital
one's native land or nation of citizenship
the countryBritishinformalthe outlying area or area furthest from the finish of a sports ground or racecourse
(modifier)rough; uncouth; rusticcountry manners
across countrynot keeping to roads, etc
go to the countryorappeal to the countrymainlyBritishto dissolve Parliament and hold an election