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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 a given country where military operations or other coordinated activities are ongoing: “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 the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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