rural

adjective

ru·​ral ˈru̇r(-ə)l How to pronounce rural (audio)
ˈrər(-ə)l
: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture
rurality noun
rurally adverb

Examples of rural in a Sentence

She lives in a rural area. grew up in a rural community where more than half the people were farmers
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When the sole emergency room in Blackford County closed in 2023, the rural county's residents were left with a 30–45-minute drive to the closest ER. Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 7 July 2025 By Michael McGough | Modesto Bee Yolo County authorities announced Saturday the discovery of seven bodies at the site of Tuesday’s deadly fireworks explosion in rural Yolo County, matching the number of individuals reported missing in the blast. Modesto Bee, Mercury News, 7 July 2025 Native to Europe, the lethal mushrooms have been found growing in several Australian states, and around the time of the lunch, they had been seen within a short drive of Patterson’s home in rural Victoria. Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 7 July 2025 Osceola rich with outdoor recreation This area in the central western Lower Peninsula is primarily rural and includes 16 townships. Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for rural

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin ruralis, from rur-, rus open land — more at room

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rural was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rural. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

rural

adjective
ru·​ral ˈru̇r-əl How to pronounce rural (audio)
: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture

More from Merriam-Webster on rural

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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