rural

adjective

ru·​ral ˈru̇r(-ə)l 

ˈrər(-ə)l

: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture

rurality

ru̇-ˈra-lə-tē 

noun

rurally

ˈru̇r-ə-lē 

ˈrər-

adverb

Synonyms

• pastoral
• rustical
• country
• rustic
• bucolic

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

In effect, farmers in rural America have warned of an impending economic crisis from the compounding factors of losing their top export market, falling crop prices and high costs. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025

The controversy spotlighted the growing gap between rural and urban dwellers. —Chris Sims, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025

About a quarter of school districts in Missouri run on a four-day schedule, mostly in rural areas, which are not affected by the new law. —Ilana Arougheti updated October 30, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025

This included flooding, mudslides, property destruction and infrastructure damage, particularly in Cuba’s eastern regions, where hundreds of rural communities were left isolated. —Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025

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

Phrases Containing rural

• rural dean
• rural free delivery
• rural route

Rhymes for rural

• crural
• dural
• jural
• mural
• neural
• pleural
• plural
• extramural
• intramural
• intrapleural
• figural
• flexural

Kids Definition

rural

adjective

ru·​ral ˈru̇r-əl 

: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture