Definition of country | Collins English Dictionary

country (ˈkʌntrɪ)

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
1. the part of the land that is away from cities or industrial areas; rural districts
2. ((as modifier) ⇒ country cottage
3. ((in combination) ⇒ a countryman
pastoralrural
short for country music
archaic a particular locality or district
See up country
one's native land or nation of citizenship
See the country
(modifier) rough; uncouth; rustic ⇒ country manners
See across country
See go to the country
See unknown country

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

View thesaurus entry

= nation, state, land, commonwealth, kingdom, realm, sovereign state people,

= countryside, rural areas provinces, outdoors, sticks, farmland, outback, the middle of nowhere green belt, wide open spaces, backwoods, back country, the back of beyond, bush, backlands boondocks,

= native land, nationality, homeland, motherland, fatherland, patria Hawaiki, Godzone,

British English: country A country is a part of the world with its own people and laws.He lives in a different country.ˈkʌntrɪ NOUN He lives in a different country.
Spanish: país nm
French: pays nm
German: Land nnt
Chinese: 国家 n
Arabic: بَلَد n
Portuguese: país nm
Russian: страна nf
Croatian: zemlja nf
Czech: země nf
Danish: land nnt
Dutch: land nnt
Finnish: maa n
Greek: χώρα nf
Italian: nazione nf
Japanese: 国 n
Korean: 나라 n
Norwegian: land nnt
Polish: kraj nm
Brazilian Portuguese: país nm
European Spanish: país nm
Swedish: land nnt
Thai: ประเทศ n
Turkish: ülke n
Vietnamese: nước n

British English: country The country is land that is away from towns and cities. There are farms and woods in the country.We went for a walk in the country.ˈkʌntrɪ NOUN We went for a walk in the country.
French: campagne nf
Arabic: رِيف n
Brazilian Portuguese: campo nm

But waves, he knew, would already be in the making; as in any country club.
Jon Cleary, YESTERDAY'S SHADOW (2002)
In fact it is something the country should be very proud of.
Country Life (2004)
It is also the country most likely to suffer from Zimbabwean instability.
Irish Times (2002)
However van der Hoek, a Reformed Church member, admitted he was one of a small minority in the country.
Glasgow Herald (2001)
Each tribe has a compendium of stories relating to his appearance in their country.
James Cowan, ABORIGINE DREAMING: Introduction to the Wisdom and Thought of the Aboriginal Traditions of Australia (2002)