DictionaryAI

rural

SayRUUR-uhlUS/ˈɹʊ.ɹəl/UK/ˈɹʊə.ɹəl/

Noun pluralrurals

2 meanings of rural

Practice

  1. 1
    adjective
    Having to do with the countryside, farms, and small towns far from big cities.

    Like a quiet place with more cows than cars, not a busy city.

    They moved to a rural area with lots of open fields.

    Rural schools often have fewer students than city ones.

    UsageUsed for places and life outside cities: rural areas. One place can be more rural than another.

    Similaragricultural, agrarian, rustic, pastoral

    Oppositeurban, suburban

    Note
  2. 2
    nounobsolete
    A person who comes from the countryside.

    UsageToday, say country person instead.

    Note

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Origin

From Old French rural, which goes back to Latin rūs, meaning "countryside."

Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

  • Latin rūs means countryside and is the ultimate Latin source of rural. en.wiktionary.org
  • English borrowed Old French rural, from Latin rūrālis, a derivative of rūs; rūs itself was not the borrowed word. en.wiktionary.org