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country

/ˈkʌntri/
/ˈkʌntri/
IPA guide

Other forms: countries

A country is a nation, a body of land with one government. Also, rural areas outside cities and towns are called the country.

There are many countries in the world: places that have a central government and a common identity. America was once just a bunch of colonies of England. It wasn't until they fought for independence from England that America became a country. Also, "the country" is any place that's away from cities and rural: the country has farms and open spaces. Country life is quieter than city life — except for the early morning roosters.

Definitions of country
  1. noun
    the territory occupied by a nation
    “he visited several European countries
    synonyms: land, state
    see moresee less
    examples:
    Antigua and Barbuda
    a country in the northern Leeward Islands
    Republic of Cape Verde
    an island country in the Atlantic off the coast of Senegal
    Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
    a republic on the island of Ceylon; became independent of the United Kingdom in 1948
    Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
    a country on the Comoro Islands
    Republic of Cuba
    a communist state in the Caribbean on the island of Cuba
    Republic of Haiti
    a republic in the West Indies on the western part of the island of Hispaniola; achieved independence from France in 1804; the poorest and most illiterate nation in the western hemisphere
    Dominican Republic
    a republic in the West Indies; located on the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola
    Jamaica
    a country on the island of Jamaica; became independent of England in 1962; much poverty; the major industry is tourism
    Barbados
    a parliamentary democracy on the island of Barbados; former British colony; a popular resort area
    Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
    an island republic in the West Indies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1962
    Republic of Cyprus
    a country on the island of Cyprus; 80% of the people are of Greek origin and 20% or Turkish origin
    Commonwealth of Dominica
    a country on the island of Dominica
    East Timor
    a former Portuguese colony that was annexed by Indonesia in 1976; voted for independence from Indonesia in 1999 and in May 2002 became an independent nation
    Republic of Fiji
    an independent state within the British Commonwealth located on the Fiji Islands
    State of Israel
    Jewish republic in southwestern Asia at eastern end of Mediterranean; formerly part of Palestine
    Etruria
    an ancient country in central Italy; assimilated by the Romans by about 200 BC
    Commonwealth of Australia
    a nation occupying the whole of the Australian continent; Aboriginal tribes are thought to have migrated from southeastern Asia 20,000 years ago; first Europeans were British convicts sent there as a penal colony
    Federated States of Micronesia
    a country scattered over Micronesia with a constitutional government in free association with the United States; achieved independence in 1986
    Republic of the Marshall Islands
    a republic (under United States protection) on the Marshall Islands
    Tuvalu
    a small island republic on the Tuvalu islands; formerly part of the British colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands until it withdrew in 1975 and became independent of the United Kingdom in 1978
    Republic of Kiribati
    an island republic in the west central Pacific just to the south of the equator
    Republic of Nauru
    an island republic on Nauru Island; phosphate exports support the economy
    Independent State of Papua New Guinea
    a parliamentary democracy on the eastern half of the island of New Guinea; in 1975 it became an independent state within the Commonwealth of Nations
    Commonwealth of the Bahamas
    island country in the Atlantic to the east of Florida and Cuba; a popular winter resort
    Burkina Faso
    a desperately poor landlocked country in western Africa; was formerly Upper Volta under French rule but gained independence in 1960
    Republic of Indonesia
    a republic in southeastern Asia on an archipelago including more than 13,000 islands; achieved independence from the Netherlands in 1945; the principal oil producer in the Far East and Pacific regions
    Grenada
    an island state in the West Indies in the southeastern Caribbean Sea; an independent state within the British Commonwealth
    Republic of Maldives
    a republic on the Maldive Islands; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1965
    Republic of Malta
    a republic on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1964
    Republic of Mauritius
    a parliamentary state on the island of Mauritius
    New Zealand
    an independent country within the British Commonwealth; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1907; known for sheep and spectacular scenery
    Republic of Palau
    a republic in the western central Pacific Ocean in association with the United States
    Republic of the Philippines
    a republic on the Philippine Islands; achieved independence from the United States in 1946
    Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
    a country on several of the Leeward Islands; located to the east southeast of Puerto Rico; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1983
    Saint Lucia
    a country on the island of Saint Lucia; gained independence from Great Britain in 1979
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
    an island country in the central Windward Islands; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1979
    Independent State of Samoa
    a constitutional monarchy on the western part of the islands of Samoa in the South Pacific
    Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
    island nation in the South Atlantic off the west coast of Africa; achieved independence from Portugal in 1975; has enormous offshore oil reserves
    Republic of Seychelles
    a republic on the Seychelles islands; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1976
    Solomon Islands
    the southern Solomon Islands that since 1978 form an independent state in the British Commonwealth
    Rus
    the medieval Russian state established by Scandinavian traders in the 9th century; the capital was first in Novgorod and then in Kiev
    Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
    a former communist country in eastern Europe and northern Asia; established in 1922; included Russia and 14 other soviet socialist republics (Ukraine and Byelorussia and others); officially dissolved 31 December 1991
    Russian Federation
    a federation in northeastern Europe and northern Asia; formerly Soviet Russia; since 1991 an independent state
    Ukrayina
    a republic in southeastern Europe; formerly a European soviet; the center of the original Russian state which came into existence in the ninth century
    Turkmenistan
    a republic in Asia to the east of the Caspian Sea and to the south of Kazakhstan and to the north of Iran; an Asian soviet from 1925 to 1991
    Friendly Islands
    a monarchy on a Polynesian archipelago in the South Pacific; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1970
    Republic of Turkey
    a Eurasian republic in Asia Minor and the Balkans; on the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918, the Young Turks, led by Kemal Ataturk, established a republic in 1923
    Republic of Vanuatu
    a volcanic island republic in Melanesia; independent since 1980
    types:
    banana republic
    a small country (especially in Central America) that is politically unstable and whose economy is dominated by foreign companies and depends on one export (such as bananas)
    buffer country, buffer state
    a small neutral state between two rival powers
    kingdom
    a country with a king as head of state
    tax haven
    a country or independent region where taxes are low
    European country, European nation
    any one of the countries occupying the European continent
    African country, African nation
    any one of the countries occupying the African continent
    Asian country, Asian nation
    any one of the nations occupying the Asian continent
    South American country, South American nation
    any one of the countries occupying the South American continent
    North American country, North American nation
    any country on the North American continent
    sultanate
    country or territory ruled by a sultan
    old country
    the country of origin of an immigrant
    Scandinavian country, Scandinavian nation
    any one of the countries occupying Scandinavia
    Balkan country, Balkan nation, Balkan state
    any one of the countries on the Balkan Peninsula
    Central American country, Central American nation
    any one of the countries occupying Central America; these countries (except for Belize and Costa Rica) are characterized by low per capita income and unstable governments
    type of:
    administrative district, administrative division, territorial division
    a district defined for administrative purposes
  2. noun
    a politically organized body of people under a single government
    “the country's largest manufacturer”
    see moresee less
    examples:
    Tamil Eelam
    the independent state that the Tamil Tigers have fought for
    types:
    commonwealth country
    any of the countries in the British Commonwealth
    developing country
    a country that is poor and whose citizens are mostly agricultural workers but that wants to become more advanced socially and economically
    Dominion
    one of the self-governing nations in the British Commonwealth
    foreign country
    any state of which one is not a citizen
    Reich
    the German state
    renegade state, rogue nation, rogue state
    a state that does not respect other states in its international actions
    suzerain
    a state exercising a degree of dominion over a dependent state especially in its foreign affairs
    sea power
    a nation that possesses formidable naval strength
    great power, major power, power, superpower, world power
    a state powerful enough to influence events throughout the world
    city state, city-state
    a state consisting of a sovereign city
    ally
    a friendly nation
    Hohenzollern empire, Second Reich
    the Reich when Hohenzollern monarchs ruled Germany (from 1871 to 1919)
    Nazi Germany, Third Reich
    the Nazi dictatorship under Hitler (1933-1945)
    hegemon
    a leading or paramount power
    type of:
    political entity, political unit
    a unit with political responsibilities
  3. noun
    the people who live in a nation or country
    “the whole country worshipped him”
    synonyms: land, nation
    see moresee less
    types:
    Dutch, Dutch people
    the people of the Netherlands
    British, British people, Brits
    the people of Great Britain
    English, English people
    the people of England
    Irish, Irish people
    people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
    French, French people
    the people of France
    Spanish, Spanish people
    the people of Spain
    Swiss, Swiss people
    the natives or inhabitants of Switzerland
    Frisian
    a native or inhabitant of Friesland or Frisia
    Genevan
    a native or resident of Geneva
    type of:
    people
    (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
  4. noun
    an area outside of cities and towns
    “his poetry celebrated the slower pace of life in the country
    synonyms: rural area
    see moresee less
    types:
    back country, backwoods, boondocks, hinterland
    a remote and undeveloped area
    farming area, farmland
    a rural area where farming is practiced
    countryside
    rural regions
    scrubland
    an uncultivated region covered with scrub vegetation
    weald
    an area of open or forested country
    wold
    a tract of open rolling country (especially upland)
    type of:
  5. noun
    a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography)
    “Bible country
    synonyms: area
    see moresee less
    examples:
    Bermuda Triangle
    an area in the western Atlantic Ocean where many ships and planes are supposed to have been mysteriously lost
    types:
    arena
    the central area of an ancient Roman amphitheater where contests and spectacles were held; especially an area that was strewn with sand
    high country
    an area lying above the piedmont but below the timberline
    bed ground, bed-ground, bedground
    an area on which a drove of cattle or sheep can sleep for a night
    broadcast area
    the area over which a radio or tv transmission can be received
    center, centre, eye, heart, middle
    an area that is approximately central within some larger region
    corner
    a place off to the side of an area
    corner
    a remote area
    disaster area
    a region whose population is affected by a general disaster
    hangout, haunt, repair, resort, stamping ground
    a frequently visited place
    fireside, hearth
    an area near a fireplace (usually paved and extending out into a room)
    hunting ground
    an area in which game is hunted
    no-go area
    an area that is dangerous or impossible to enter or to which entry is forbidden
    no man's land
    an unoccupied area between the front lines of opposing armies
    quadrant
    the area enclosed by two perpendicular radii of a circle
    quadrant
    any of the four areas into which a plane is divided by two orthogonal coordinate axes
    rain shadow
    an area that has little precipitation because some barrier causes the winds to lose their moisture before reaching it
    staging area
    an area where troops and equipment in transit are assembled before a military operation
    clear, open
    a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water
    free port, free zone
    an area adjoining a port where goods that are intended for reshipment can be received and stored without payment of duties
    anchorage, anchorage ground
    place for vessels to anchor
    playground, resort area, vacation spot
    an area where many people go for recreation
    block, city block
    a rectangular area in a city surrounded by streets and usually containing several buildings
    neighborhood
    an area within a city or town that has some distinctive features (especially one forming a community)
    retreat
    a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet
    refuge, safety
    a safe place
    danger
    a dangerous place
    scene
    the place where some action occurs
    section
    a distinct region or subdivision of a territorial or political area or community or group of people
    shrubbery
    an area where a number of shrubs are planted
    space
    an area reserved for some particular purpose
    tank farm
    an area used exclusively for storing petroleum in large tanks
    winner's circle
    a small area at a racecourse where awards are given to the owners of winning horses
    center stage, centre stage
    the central area on a theater stage
    central city, city center, city centre
    the central part of a city
    storm center, storm centre
    the central area or place of lowest barometric pressure within a storm
    outskirts
    outlying areas (as of a city or town)
    financial center
    the part of a city where financial institutions are centered
    hub
    a center of activity or interest or commerce or transportation; a focal point around which events revolve
    inner city
    the older and more populated and (usually) poorer central section of a city
    air space, airspace
    the space in the atmosphere immediately above the earth
    crawl space, crawlspace
    low space beneath a floor of a building; gives workers access to wiring or plumbing
    disc space, disk space
    (computer science) the space available on a magnetic disk
    medical center
    the part of a city where medical facilities are centered
    midfield
    (sports) the middle part of a playing field (as in football or lacrosse)
    flies
    (theater) the space over the stage (out of view of the audience) used to store scenery (drop curtains)
    gathering place
    a favorite haunt where people gather
    key, paint
    (basketball) a space (including the foul line) in front of the basket at each end of a basketball court; usually painted a different color from the rest of the court
    no-parking zone
    a space where automobiles are not allowed to park
    parking space, parking zone
    a space where an automobile can be parked
    berth, moorage, mooring, slip
    a place where a craft can be made fast
    roads, roadstead
    a partly sheltered anchorage
    locality, neck of the woods, neighborhood, neighbourhood, vicinity
    a surrounding or nearby region
    ashram
    (India) a place of religious retreat for Hindus
    ashram
    a place of religious retreat modeled after the Indian ashram
    nook
    a sheltered and secluded place
    nest
    a cosy or secluded retreat
    pleasance
    a pleasant and secluded part of a garden; usually attached to a mansion
    harborage, harbourage
    (nautical) a place of refuge (as for a ship)
    sanctum, sanctum sanctorum
    a place of inviolable privacy
    light
    an illuminated area
    dark, darkness, shadow
    an unilluminated area
    field of honor
    the scene of a duel
    stage
    any scene regarded as a setting for exhibiting or doing something
    separation
    the space where a division or parting occurs
    place, seat
    a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
    seat
    a center of authority (as a city from which authority is exercised)
    terreplein
    level space where heavy guns can be mounted behind the parapet at the top of a rampart
    locale, locus, venue
    the scene of any event or action (especially the place of a meeting)
    spa, watering hole, watering place
    a health resort near a spring or at the seaside
    workspace
    space allocated for your work (as in an office)
    borscht belt, borscht circuit, borsht belt, borsht circuit
    (informal) a resort area in the Catskill Mountains of New York that was patronized primarily by Jewish guests
    midstream
    the middle of a stream
    type of:
    region
    a large indefinite location on the surface of the Earth
Pronunciation
US
/ˈkʌntri/
UK
/ˈkʌntri/
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