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

But Yahr knows the 14-time Grammy winner’s origins are more complex than a teen tapping into a new generation of country music fans. —Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026

Large American flags were draped along the side of the main stage where The Beard & The Bird entertained guests with a blend of jazz, blues, and country music. —Stephanie Ogilvie, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026

Cowboy hats are ubiquitous among the genre’s biggest artists; a nod to country music that allows young people to partake in nostalgia for the countryside and simpler times. —Carolina Abbott Galvão, The Dial, 6 Jan. 2026

Sarah Michelle Gellar, country music star Jelly Roll and Chrissy Teigen are joining the show, a new iteration of the talent competition that first aired in syndication in the 1980s. —Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1942, 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