rustic

adjective rus·tic \ ˈrəs-tik \

variants: or less commonly rustical play \-ti-kəl\

Definition of rustic

1 :of, relating to, or suitable for the country :rural

rustic rolling farmland

2 a :made of the rough limbs of trees

rustic furniture

b :finished by rusticating

a rustic joint in masonry

3 a :characteristic of or resembling country people

b :lacking in social graces or polish

4 :appropriate to the country (as in plainness or sturdiness)

heavy rustic boots

—

rustically

play \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

—

rusticity

play \ˌrəs-ˈti-sə-tē\ noun

See rustic defined for English-language learners

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Examples of rustic in a Sentence

The inn has a rustic atmosphere.
rustic yokels whose first impulse was to smirk gawkily at anyone not of their own kind

Recent Examples of rustic from the Web

Le Pain Quotidien, a bakery-restaurant chain founded in Brussels, is bringing its fresh baked breads, artisanal menu and rustic interior decor to downtown Naperville.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Le Pain Quotidien signs lease for Naperville bakery-restaurant," 28 Aug. 2017
Some agriturismi are simple and rustic; others are downright fancy — but all are hosted by wonderful people eager to share their bit of paradise.

— rick steves, miamiherald, "Tuscany for beginners," 11 Aug. 2017
In the first decades of the 20th century, as comic strips and magazine illustration became a big business, artists began migrating out of Manhattan for the comparatively rustic precincts of Westchester County.

— cullen murphy, vanityfair.com, "When Fairfield County Was the Comic-Strip Capital of the World," 3 Aug. 2017
The roomy space is modern — but has some rustic touches.

— dewayne bevil, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Plan your own Disney Springs pub crawl," 3 Aug. 2017
Cooked over almond wood, ibérico pork reaches rustic heights accompanied by clams in a mustard-laced broth.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
Should Joanna Gaines’s rustic chic ever be seen as a challenge to that California-modern banality, a great war could break out.

— vanityfair.com, "Did a Car Accident Reveal a Darker Side of HGTV’s Biggest Hit?," 10 July 2017
The stone accents at the front entrance give it a rustic feel.

— lori aratani, Washington Post, "Turbulence ahead for Hagerstown airport?," 7 July 2017
Many of these pieces are placed in gold settings, which add an element of glamour to an otherwise rustic design.

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "Raw Diamonds Are the Next Big Trend for Engagement Rings," 28 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of rustic

Middle English rustik, from Latin rusticus, from rus open land — more at room

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First Known Use: 15th century

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rustic Synonyms

Synonyms

clumsy, gauche, graceless, inelegant, rough-hewn, awkward (also rustical), stiff, stilted, uncomfortable, uneasy, ungraceful, wooden

Antonyms

graceful, suave, urbane

Near Antonyms

assured, calm, collected, composed, confident, cool, placid, poised, secure, self-assured, self-confident, self-possessed, serene, tranquil, undisturbed, unperturbed

rustic

noun

Definition of rustic

1 :an inhabitant of a rural area

2 a :an awkward coarse person

b :an unsophisticated rural person

See rustic defined for English-language learners

Examples of rustic in a Sentence

a rustic who was awed by the prices that city dwellers had to pay

Recent Examples of rustic from the Web

Mendelssohn was perhaps the ultimate Biedermeier composer, most inspired with his miniature Songs Without Words or when portraying the fairies and rustics of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

— david patrick stearns, Philly.com, "Yannick has his way with Mendelssohn's symphonies in new three-disc set," 22 June 2017

First Known Use of rustic

circa 1550

rustic Synonyms

Synonyms

bumpkin, chawbacon, churl, clodhopper, cornball, countryman, hayseed, hillbilly, provincial, rube, hick, yokel

Antonyms

cosmopolitan, cosmopolite, sophisticate

Related Words

boor, clod, clown, gawk, lout, oaf; greenhorn, tenderfoot; peasant, peon; backwoodsman, mountaineer

Near Antonyms

slicker, smoothy (or smoothie); metropolitan, suburbanite, urbanite

RUSTIC Defined for English Language Learners

rustic

adjective

Definition of rustic for English Language Learners

: of, relating to, or suitable for the country or people who live in the country
: made of rough wood

rustic

noun

Definition of rustic for English Language Learners

: a person who lives in the country

RUSTIC Defined for Kids

rustic

adjective rus·tic \ ˈrə-stik \

Definition of rustic for Students

1 :relating to or suitable for the country

2 :¹plain 7, simple

3 :made from rough wood

rustic furniture

rustic

noun

Definition of rustic for Students

:a person living or raised in the country

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Origin and Etymology of rustic

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rustic

Definition of rustic

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First Known Use of rustic

rustic Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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RUSTIC Defined for English Language Learners

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rustic

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