pastoral

7 synonyms and 1 antonym for pastoral, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adj — Relating to shepherds, farming, or peaceful rural life.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

rustic

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

idyllic bucolic arcadian idyll pastorale idyl

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adj

Relating to shepherds, farming, or peaceful rural life.

“The painting shows a pastoral scene of sheep grazing in the hills.”

idyllic bucolic rustic arcadian

2. adj

Relating to a pastor's spiritual guidance of a congregation.

“The bishop offered pastoral care to families affected by the tragedy.”

Opposites

laic

3. noun

A poem or piece of music depicting idealised rural life.

“Beethoven's "Pastoral" symphony evokes scenes of the countryside.”

idyll pastorale idyl

How to use pastoral

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

pastoral care pastoral scene pastoral poetry

Etymology

From Latin pastoralis, "of a shepherd," from pastor ("shepherd") — the same root as pastor.

Full origin of pastoral →

Frequently asked questions

What does “pastoral” mean?

The word “pastoral” means relating to shepherds, farming, or peaceful rural life. In plain terms, either "to do with peaceful country/farming life" or "to do with a pastor's spiritual care of people.".

How do you pronounce “pastoral”?

“Pastoral” is pronounced PAHS-tuh-ruhl (/ˈpæs.tə.ɹəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “pastoral” in a sentence?

Here is “pastoral” used in a sentence: “The painting shows a pastoral scene of sheep grazing in the hills.”

What part of speech is “pastoral”?

Depending on how it is used, “pastoral” can be an adjective and a noun.

Where does the word “pastoral” come from?

The word “pastoral” comes from Latin. From Latin pastoralis, "of a shepherd," from pastor ("shepherd") — the same root as pastor.

Is “pastoral” a common word?

“Pastoral” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “pastoral” have?

“Pastoral” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to shepherds, farming, or peaceful rural life.

What is the difference between pastoral and rural?

Rural simply describes something located in or characteristic of the countryside, while pastoral specifically evokes an idealised, peaceful vision of farming or shepherding life, often in an artistic or literary sense. A rural town is just in the countryside, but a pastoral scene suggests idyllic tranquility.

Can pastoral be used as a noun as well as an adjective?

Yes, as a noun, a pastoral refers to a poem or piece of music that depicts an idealised version of rural life, a literary and musical tradition dating back to classical works celebrating shepherds and countryside simplicity.

People also searched

rustic idyll bucolic laic idyllic

Nearby words

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