countrynoun
usuk/ˈkʌn.tri/country noun (POLITICAL UNIT)
A1 [ C ] an area of land that has its own government, army, etc.:
What is the largest country in Europe?
Sri Lanka is my native country, but I've been living in Belgium for the past five years.
The climate is cooler in the east of the country.
the country
C2 all the people who live in a country:
The whole country celebrated the signing of the peace treaty.
More examples
- After ten years of military dictatorship, the country now has a civil government.
- French cheeses are exported to many different countries.
- The Arab countries include Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Egypt.
- Tibet, once an independent country, is now part of China.
- The government has done little or nothing to help the poorest people in this country.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Countries, nationalities & continents: country & nation
- Afro
- citizenship
- compatriot
- countrywide
- homegrown
- homeland
- internation
- land
- motherland
- nation
- nation-state
- national
- offshore
- soil
- South Sudan
- state
- state-controlled
- statehood
- stateless
- subject
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country noun (NATURAL LAND)
A2 [ S or U ] land that is not in towns, cities, or industrial areas and is either used for farming or left in its natural condition:
He lives out in the country somewhere.
Would you prefer to live in the country instead of a town?
Country life isn't always as peaceful as city-dwellers think.
It's often quicker to travel across country and avoid the major roads completely.
More examples
- We would dearly love to sell our flat and move to the country.
- Five soldiers died after their bus was ambushed on a country road.
- They have a house in the country and a flat in London.
- I found not having a car quite a handicap when I was living in the country.
- We spent a luxurious weekend at a hotel in the country.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Towns & regions: the countryside
- backcountry
- bumpkin
- countrified
- countryside
- countrywoman
- hick
- hillbilly
- hinterland
- land
- landscape
- out-of-town
- redneck
- rural
- rustic
- stick
- the backwoods
- the boondocks
- upstate
- wild
- yokel
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country noun (PARTICULAR AREA)
[ U ] an area of land considered in relation to a particular feature:
Stratford-upon-Avon is the capital of Shakespeare country.
The empty roads make this area good cycling country.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Geography: areas of land in general
- area
- circuit
- curtilage
- dry land
- enclosure
- fiefdom
- ground
- interfluve
- interior
- lot
- orography
- parcel
- plot
- pocket handkerchief
- polder
- region
- swathe
- sweep
- terrain
- territory
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country noun (MUSIC)
[ U ] → country and western
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Folk & ethnic music
- bluegrass
- country and western
- country music
- folk
- folk rock
- folk song
- raga
- skiffle
Idiom(s)
across country
go to the country