country

[ kuhn-tree ]

/ ˈkʌn tri /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR country ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural coun·tries.

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 gegen against

OTHER WORDS FROM country

in·ter·coun·try, adjective

Words nearby country

counting number, counting room, countless, countrified, countrify, country, country and western, country and western music, country blues, country club, country code

Example sentences from the Web for countries

There are reasons that European countries tend to avoid fluoride.

Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers |Michael Schulson |July 27, 2016 |DAILY BEAST
According to Pew, 14 of the 20 countries in the Middle East and North Africa have blasphemy laws.

In Defense of Blasphemy |Michael Tomasky |January 9, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
We do see that a few European countries have them on the books: Germany, Poland, Italy, Ireland, a couple more.

In Defense of Blasphemy |Michael Tomasky |January 9, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
The same picture emerges from middle class men in the U.S., Canada, and the Nordic countries.

How Good Dads Can Change the World |Gary Barker, PhD, Michael Kaufman |January 6, 2015 |DAILY BEAST

In Scandinavian countries this discrimination has been dramatically reduced.

How Good Dads Can Change the World |Gary Barker, PhD, Michael Kaufman |January 6, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
No one can doubt it who knows the situation of the two countries, still less anyone who has read the correspondence.

A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents |James D. Richardson
As compared with the advanced stands of the Scandinavian countries, the few laws of progressive states look painfully inadequate.

Taboo and Genetics |Melvin Moses Knight, Iva Lowther Peters, and Phyllis Mary Blanchard
The modern law in countries which take their law from Rome has developed this decisive limitation.

An Introduction to the Philosophy of Law |Roscoe Pound
In English-speaking countries of course we are interested in what was done by Englishmen at this time.

Old-Time Makers of Medicine |James J. Walsh
The people of these two countries are all experienced in self-government as a result of participation in political affairs.

The Fight For The Republic in China |Bertram Lenox Putnam Weale

British Dictionary definitions for countries

country

/ (ˈkʌntrɪ) /

noun plural -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 state the whole country rebelled

an area associated with a particular person Burns 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

archaic a particular locality or district

up country away from the coast or the capital

one's native land or nation of citizenship

the country British informal the outlying area or area furthest from the finish of a sports ground or racecourse

(modifier) rough; uncouth; rustic country manners

across country not keeping to roads, etc

go to the country or appeal to the country mainly British to dissolve Parliament and hold an election

unknown country an unfamiliar topic, place, matter, etc

Word Origin for country

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

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

country

noun, plural coun·tries.

adjective

Idioms for country

Origin of country

OTHER WORDS FROM country

Words nearby country

Example sentences from the Web for countries

British Dictionary definitions for countries

noun plural -tries

Word Origin for country

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

country

noun, plural coun·tries.

adjective

Idioms for country

Origin of country

OTHER WORDS FROM country

Words nearby country

Words related to countries

Example sentences from the Web for countries

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for countries

noun plural -tries

Word Origin for country

British Dictionary definitions for countries