bucolic

adjective bu·col·ic \ byü-ˈkä-lik \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Examples: bucolic in a Sentence

Editor's Note: The Origin of bucolic is "Utterly" Quaint

Definition of bucolic

1 : of or relating to shepherds or herdsmen : pastoral

2 a : relating to or typical of rural life

b : idyllic

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bucolically

play \-li-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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Examples of bucolic in a Sentence

Pine Ridge … . Its generic blandness and vaguely bucolic quality anticipated similar names—the Oak Parks and River Groves and Lake Forests and Chestnut Hills … —Ian Frazier, On the Rez, 2000
… the massive population growth has transformed a collection of bucolic villages and mill towns into a chain of strip-mall suburbs. —Jonathan Cohn, New Republic, 7 Feb. 2000
… Intel gives its generations of microprocessors such bucolic code names as Deschutes, Tillamook, and Katmai but then rolls them out with names that rival those of popes and medieval heads of state: Pentium the III, Celeron the Meek, and Xeon the Magnificent. —Jake Kirchner, PC Magazine, 25 May 1999
… the North Shore commuter train scuds through bucolic landscape for a while, the rocks and trees permitting glimpses of Appleton Farms … —John Updike, New England Monthly, October 1989
a bucolic region where farms are still common

Recent Examples of bucolic from the Web

Folk/pop singer Ray LaMontagne’s latest, Part of the Light, feels dreamy and bucolic but with one large boot planted in the unmoored psychedelia of Pink Floyd and 1960s Los Angeles cult heroes Love.

— staff, The Christian Science Monitor, "Top Picks: Ray LaMontagne’s 'Part of the Light,' the podcast 'Giants of History,' and more top picks," 9 June 2018
The soundscape comes from a sheep herder’s whistle and calls to three sheepdogs, many baaas, and much munching of grass, and traffic noises that invade the bucolic setting.

— ellen dunkel, Philly.com, "'Doggie Hamlet': A baaa-llet where sheep are the stars," 4 June 2018
For Dunn and those in favor, Measure C is about fulfilling the legacy of the Ag Preserve: taking a stand to keep Napa bucolic.

— esther mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, "Battle for Napa Valley’s future: Proposed curb on vineyards divides county," 9 Apr. 2018
Varney, who had to contend with steadfast residents that did not want a theme park resort in their bucolic backyard.

— arthur levine, USA TODAY, "Legoland New York to be the next Lego park assembled," 29 Jan. 2018
The materials can be ingenious—in one scene a cobra covered in gorgeous green beads slithers by, and during one bucolic stroll, stalks of wheat in soft focus intervene between us and the characters.

— j.r. jones, Chicago Reader, "Animator Jiří Trnka created magical worlds amid stifling communist censorship," 31 May 2018
Views of the bucolic backyard can be enjoyed by patios lining the second and third floors.

— jack flemming, latimes.com, "Former home of rocker Tom Petty freefalls into the Encino market post-makeover," 24 May 2018
Old bargeboard shacks were still largely intact among the oaks and spreading fruit trees, a bucolic, oddly rural idyll hidden beyond the littered sidewalks, buses, and tractor trailers of the avenue.

— anne gisleson, Curbed, "Bywater faces its future," 23 May 2018
Also drawing inspiration from Nobel laureate Gao Xingjian's novel Soul Mountain, Pluto Moment is a road movie in which a group of disenchanted urbanites roam bucolic forests and rustic villages to search for meaning in their lives.

— clarence tsui, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Pluto Moment' ('Ming Wang Xing Shi Ke'): Film Review | Cannes 2018," 23 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bucolic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Origin of bucolic is "Utterly" Quaint

We get bucolic from the Latin word bucolicus, which is ultimately from the Greek word boukolos, meaning "cowherd." When bucolic was first used in English in the early 17th century, it meant "pastoral" in a narrow sense - that is, it referred to things related to shepherds or herdsmen and in particular to pastoral poetry. Later in the 19th century, it was applied more broadly to things rural or rustic. Bucolic has also been occasionally used as a noun meaning "a pastoral poem" or "a bucolic person."

Origin and Etymology of bucolic

Latin bucolicus, from Greek boukolikos, from boukolos cowherd, from bous head of cattle + -kolos (akin to Latin colere to cultivate) — more at cow, wheel

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1609

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year