country music

noun

: music derived from or imitating the folk style of the Southern U.S. or of the Western cowboy

especially : popular vocal music characterized by simple harmonies, accompaniment by stringed instruments (such as guitar, fiddle, banjo, and pedal steel), repeated choruses, and often narrative lyrics

called also country, country and western

Examples of country music in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Singer-songwriter-actress Dolly Parton, whose glittering country music stardom was matched by her pop fame and popular parallel careers in film and TV, died Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee. — Chris Morris, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026

Dolly Parton, the undisputed queen of country music, died on Tuesday, August 25. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 25 Aug. 2026

Dolly Parton, the groundbreaking country music icon, has died. — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Kevin Winter / Getty Images Some of country music’s royalty sang her praises and were joined by a younger generation of musicians and songwriters who heralded her as an inspiration. — Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

country music

noun

: music coming from or imitating the folk style of the Southern U.S. or the Western cowboy