country

The word “country” means a nation with its own government and defined territory. In plain terms, a nation, or more casually, the rural areas outside cities.

“Country” is pronounced KUHNT-ree (/ˈkʌntɹi/ in IPA).

Here is “country” used in a sentence: “They moved out to the country for some peace and quiet.”

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

The word “country” comes from Latin. From Old French contree, ultimately from Latin contrā ("against, facing") — originally meaning "the land lying opposite" or surrounding a place.

“Country” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Country” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a nation with its own government and defined territory.

A country is mainly a geographic and political unit — a defined territory with its own government and borders. A nation refers more to the people: a group sharing culture, language, history, or identity. They often overlap, but a nation can exist without a country of its own.

A country is a sovereign nation with its own government and territory. 'State' has two senses: it can mean the same as a sovereign country, or a smaller region within one, like a US or Australian state. Context tells you which meaning applies.

Most sources count 195 countries: the 193 member states of the United Nations, plus two observer states — the Holy See (Vatican City) and Palestine. The exact figure can vary depending on which disputed or partially recognized territories you choose to include in the total.