Word of the Day:

: of or relating to fields or open country : rural

"Santiago's proximity to ski resorts, beach resorts, and the idyllic countryside, with its campestral and ranching traditions and colonial estates, offer plenty for the traveler to see and do." - From Frommer’s Chile and Easter Island, 2011

"Just about any amateur naturalist who pays attention to the birds, beasts, flowers and seasons in campestral Maine will find an eye-opener or two here." - From a book review by Dana Wilde in the Bangor (Maine) Daily News, October 26, 2009

Scamper across an open field, then, while catching your breath, ponder this: "scamper" and "campestral" both ultimately derive from the Latin noun "campus," meaning "field" or "plain." Latin "campester" is the adjective that means "pertaining to a campus." In ancient Rome, a campus was a place for games, athletic practice, and military drills. "Scamper" probably started with a military association, as well (it is assumed to have evolved from the Latin verb "excampare," meaning "to decamp"). In English, "campestral" took on an exclusively rural aspect upon its introduction in the 18th century, while "campus," you might say, became strictly academic.