rural

[ roor-uhl ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the country, country life, or country people; rustic:

   agricultural fairs and festivals throughout the rural towns of Georgia.

   Synonyms: rough, unsophisticated

   Antonyms: urban

2. living in the country:

   the rural population.

3. of or relating to agriculture:

   rural economy.

noun

1. a person who lives in a rural area.

rural

/ ˈrʊərəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the country or country life
2. living in or accustomed to the country
3. of, relating to, or associated with farming

Derived Forms

• ˈruralism, noun
• ˈrurally, adverb
• ˈruralist, noun
• ruˈrality, noun

Other Words From

• ru·ral·ism noun
• ru·ral·ist ru·ral·ite noun
• ru·ral·ly adverb
• ru·ral·ness noun
• non·ru·ral adjective
• non·ru·ral·ly adverb
• qua·si-ru·ral adjective
• qua·si-ru·ral·ly adverb
• sem·i·ru·ral adjective
• sem·i·ru·ral·ly adverb
• sem·i·ru·ral·ism noun
• un·ru·ral adjective
• un·ru·ral·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of rural¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin rūrālis, equivalent to rūr- (stem of rūs ) “the country, rural land” (akin to room ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of rural¹

C15: via Old French from Latin rūrālis , from rūs the country

Synonym Study

Rural and rustic are terms that refer to the country. Rural is the official term: rural education. It may be used subjectively, and usually in a favorable sense: the charm of rural life. Rustic, however, may have either favorable or unfavorable connotations. In a derogatory sense, it means provincial, boorish, or crude; in a favorable sense, it may suggest ruggedness or a homelike rural charm: rustic simplicity.

Example Sentences

Waring was also said to have helped Chapman take the car to a rural location near Frodsham, Cheshire, on New Year's Eve, where it was later found burned out.

From BBC

But, he says, as some universities reduce the number of courses on offer he doesn’t want to see “cold spots” where students in more rural locations don’t have a choice of courses at their nearest university.

From BBC

That flash point foretells an America becoming more polarized the hotter things get, more sharply divided between its rural and urban communities and more hateful and more dangerous.

From Salon

Day four has been described as his "toughest day" as he navigates through Dumfriesshire into Lanarkshire on "tricky rural terrain".

From BBC

For example, the Federal Communications Commission denied SpaceX nearly $900 million in federal subsidies to provide rural broadband access through its Starlink satellite network.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• agrarian
• agricultural
• back-country
• backwoods
• bucolic
• idyllic
• pastoral
• provincial
• rustic