old country

noun, often capitalized O&C

Updated on: 25 Mar 2018

Definition of old country

: an emigrant's country of origin; especially : one in Europe —usually used with the

See old country defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of old country from the Web

But Kathleen O'Brien, born in the old country, had her sights on something else last week.

— staff report, chicagotribune.com, "Shout Out: Kathleen O'Brien, corned beef and cabbage not her specialty," 21 Mar. 2018
So the idea appears to be that the new immigrant comes over without his children, who remain in the old country until each has three children of his or her own.

— philip bump, Washington Post, "'Chain migration' is not bringing floods of terrorists to America," 6 Feb. 2018
Recommendation: Belvedere, New Britain, for a Belvedere old country platter ($18.75) with pork shoulder steak, hunter's stew, kielbasa, blood sausage, mashed potato and dill pickle plus a sweet Belvedere platter ($9.75).

— frank cohen, courant.com, "28 Dates: Bohemian Suggestions For Penny-Pinchers," 2 Feb. 2018
The Groundhog Day holiday can be traced back to a German superstition brought to Pennsylvania by settlers, who decided to use (and sometimes eat) the local groundhog, rather than the hedgehog that might have been relied upon in the old country.

— chris wilson, Time, "Punxsutawney Phil Isn't the Only Groundhog. These Others Have More Accurate Groundhog Day Predictions," 1 Feb. 2018
My father’s Maltese, my mother’s German, and I was raised on old country values.

— kirsten korosec, Fortune, "Read the Judge's Emotional Remarks in Sentencing of U.S. Gymnastics Doctor Larry Nassar," 25 Jan. 2018
My father's Maltese, my mother's German and I was raised on old country values and my grandmother always told me, my parents always told me, my grandfather always told me, that America is the greatest country.

— NBC News, "Larry Nassar trial: Highlights from Judge Rosemarie Aquilina’s sentencing of ex-USA gymnastics doctor," 24 Jan. 2018
The dish has had a presence in Montreal for more than 100 years; its origin can be traced back to Hungarian Jews who brought it over from the old country.

— justin phillips, San Francisco Chronicle, "Augie’s Montreal Deli plans Valentine’s Day debut in Berkeley," 22 Jan. 2018
The exact location of the old country was never clear.

— emily meg weinstein, Longreads, "In Praise of Cowardice," 19 Dec. 2017

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

First Known Use of old country

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old country

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