upcountry

[ adjective noun uhp-kuhn-tree; adverb uhp-kuhn-tree ]

adjective

, Chiefly Southern U.S.

1. of, relating to, residing in, or situated in the interior of a region or country; inland.
2. Disparaging. unsophisticated.

noun

1. the interior of a region or country.

adverb

1. toward, into, or in the interior of a country:

   The explorers trekked upcountry.

upcountry

/ ʌpˈkʌntrɪ /

adjective

1. of or coming from the interior of a country or region
2. derogatory.
   lacking the sophistication associated with city-dwellers; countrified

noun

1. the interior part of a region or country

adverb

1. towards, in, or into the interior part of a country or region

Word History and Origins

Origin of upcountry¹

First recorded in 1680–90; up- + country

Example Sentences

Now, he said, the lane’s residents are mostly migrants from upcountry.

From New York Times

A cousin told her father the pair were headed upcountry.

From Seattle Times

Meanwhile the virus has spread into more rural areas, including one of the United Nations-run camps upcountry where more than 150,000 civilians still shelter after South Sudan’s civil war ended in 2018.

From Washington Times

“A lot of ladies here working in nightlife are mostly from a poor family or upcountry,” she said.

From Reuters

He has mapped where farmers can grow coffee next: basically upcountry, where it’s cooler.

From Seattle Times