rustic

adjective

rus·tic | \ ˈrə-stik

variants: or less commonly rustical \ ˈrə-sti-kəl

Definition of rustic

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

2a : made of the rough limbs of trees rustic furniture

b : finished by rusticating a rustic joint in masonry

3a : 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

rustic

noun

Definition of rustic (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an inhabitant of a rural area

2a : an awkward coarse person

b : an unsophisticated rural person

Other Words from rustic Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about rustic

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Other Words from rustic

Adjective

rustically \ ˈrə-sti-k(ə-)lē

\ adverb

rusticity \ ˌrə-ˈsti-sə-tē

\ noun

Examples of rustic in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Noun

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Finished with a handful of arugula leaves, the combination of lamb, olives and tomatoes made a satisfying, rustic-yet-elegant summer meal one recent evening. — David Tanis, The Seattle Times, "This hefty steak is light enough for August," 20 Aug. 2018 Pro tip: Lake house dinner prep My own in-laws’ much-loved, much-rustic cottage in the vacation hamlet of Sister Bay, Wis., was built a century ago for two parents and four children. — Cheryl Stritzel Mccarthy, chicagotribune.com, "Don't be that guest: Lake house etiquette tips from the pros," 19 June 2018 The vibe was rustic Italian with tables spilling onto the streets, and lasagna was served for the main course. — Tamara Abraham, Harper's BAZAAR, "This Epic Lake Como Wedding Had It All: An Alta Moda Photoshoot, Fireworks, and a Surprise Opera," 11 Apr. 2019 In an orange dumpster one recent Sunday morning, between old bricks and trash bags, Heather Olsen struck gold: rustic wood beams that once held the floor of a 100-year-old house. — Cecilie Rohwedder, WSJ, "Old Wood Can Cost More Than New Lumber. People Want It Anyway.," 10 Apr. 2019 Two days later, Taylor is back in the test kitchen, making the most beautiful loaf of rustic sourdough. — Annemarie Conte, Woman's Day, "What We Learned After Baking Nothing But Bread for 3 Days," 9 Apr. 2019 Though, that rustic feel is often juxtaposed with bright commercial advertisements. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "The Bold and the Beautiful Style of Professional Bull Riders," 7 Jan. 2019 The listing also has its own equestrian barn, a separate rustic cabin for camping, a four-bay garage, and heated pool. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Picture-perfect 1880 estate on 60 acres asks $3.9M," 20 Dec. 2018 Trump is otherwise slated to participate in the full schedule of meetings and photo-ops on the G7 agenda, which are all being held at a golf resort in rustic Charlevoix. — Michelle Kosinski, CNN, "Trump unenthusiastically heads for contentious G7," 7 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Hudson, an English naturalist at the turn of the last century, interviewed elderly rustics who still belonged as entirely to their landscape as the wildlife. — Kieran Dodds, Smithsonian, "Britain’s Lake District Was Immortalized by Beatrix Potter, But Is Its Future in Peril?," 20 Apr. 2018 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

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.